Mavis Staples

Mavis Staples

Album: “We Get By”

Grade: A

Time has certainly not dampened the urgency in Mavis Staples’ voice. Now 80, the Grammy-winning legend and social activist has one clear enemy on her new album: the status quo. She sings the word “change” some 20 times.

The terrific “We Get By” opens with the song “Change” and ends 10 tracks later with “One More Change to Make.” Along the way, she urges action: “Can’t stay the same,” “Something’s got to give” and “Grab hold of the days.”

All the songs on this, her 12th studio album, were written by Ben Harper and their union is both fruitful and moving. Harper has given Staples some tunes that show off her vulnerable side and others that make you move, with some funk and folk and soul and blues, the guitars often shimmering. He joins her in singing the dynamic, soulful “We Get By.”

Harper has written and produced an unrushed and quietly brooding album for Staples, one that puts her expressive voice at the center and the instruments turned down. Two songs – “Never Needed Anyone” and “Heavy On My Mind” – sound like the band was another room down the hall.

In between calls for change, Staples sings about love. On “Chance on Me,” she is needy: “I don’t need a symphony/I just need one violin.”

Then there’s the standout “Stronger,” an irresistible rocking track where Staples’ voice stretches and soars and the guitar keeps up with her. “Don’t need a house on the hill/Don’t need my face on a dollar bill,” she sings.

–Mark Kennedy, Associated Press

Morrissey

Album: “California Son”

Grade: D

Morrissey delivers a dozen covers on his new album, “California Sun,” which reimagines works by such masters as Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell and Carly Simon as well as more obscure musicians.

It’s a bold move by the former Smiths singer, a sonic face-off against some of music’s giants. It deserves to be taken song by song and scored like a boxing bout over 12 rounds.

The album kicks off with Morrissey’s take on Jobriath’s ’70s gem “Morning Starship” and the so-called Pope of Mope nicely keeps its trippy vibe but modernizes the sound. Good opening choice and credit to Morrissey for introducing Jobriath to a new generation, 1-0 to Morrissey.

But Mitchell’s twangy, rich “Don’t Interrupt the Sorrow” is next and Morrissey can’t lay a glove on the original, 1-1. He does better with Dylan’s “Only a Pawn in Their Game,” with the Englishman giving the folk tune a slight Celtic feel but failing to match Dylan’s sarcastic bite, 1-2.

Morrissey then painfully fails to connect on his cover of Buffy Sainte-Marie’s “Suffer the Little Children,” turning the original’s spiky mania into a lounge song, 1-3. He does better with Phil Ochs’ “Days of Decisions,” his voice glorious, 2-3.

He also surprisingly gets a point with Roy Orbison’s “It’s Over,” matching the American icon’s tenderness and even upping the heartbreak, 3-3. But Morrissey is no match when it comes to The Fifth Dimension’s “Wedding Bell Blues” – the original is lush and heartfelt; Morrissey’s is camp, 3-4.

He seems to have completely misunderstood Burt Bacharach’s “Loneliness Remembers What Happiness Forgets” – when Dionne Warwick sang it, it was a soaring ballad, when Morrissey does, it’s a small pop ditty, 3-5. He also doesn’t do enough to bloody Gary Puckett’s “Lady Willpower,” 3-6.

Morrissey is in trouble now. He’s been knocked down. But he might pull it off if he finishes strong. Unfortunately, the next one is Simon’s “When You Close Your Eyes.” Simon sings in service of the song; Morrissey is posing in front of it, 3-7. And his cover of Tim Hardin’s “Lenny’s Tune” lacks the original’s haunting sadness, 3-8.

The folly of the project is truly laid bare when Morrissey tackles Melanie’s “Some Say (I Got Devil).” The original is eerie and complex, an irresistible feminist anthem. While Morrissey croons hard, this was never the song for him.

Final score: 3-9, an easy decision.

–Mark Kennedy, Associated Press