by Jessica Price - SGN A&E Writer

WAMU THEATER
October 1 @ 7:30pm

LANA DEL REY
WAMU THEATER
October 2 @ 8pm

October 1 - Morrissey & Interpol @ WaMu Theater 7:30pm:
As an early fan of The Smiths and Morrissey, I never expected the tribulations that casting my lot with such a complex figure might entail. One night in my youth I'm twirling to 'How Soon is Now?' and the next I'm faced with a rollercoaster of extreme highs (a post-Smiths victory lap of sublime solo releases) and extreme lows (a series of pithy, uninspired solo releases, a nasty court battle over The Smiths' profits, and a meandering if not passionate autobiography badly in need of an editor). And let's not forget the most recent misstep: Morrissey as reactionary figure performing on 'Jimmy Fallon' while sporting the badge of far-right political party For Britain.

It's been a winding road, which is a shame considering that Morrissey's newest album, California Son, is extremely satisfying and& incredibly fun. Apart from being mired in weird personal controversy of his own doing, the album of covers comprises his best-sounding work in years. It's the covers record that disciples of Morrissey lore have dreamed of: everything from Jobriath to Roy Orbison, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, and Buffy Sainte-Marie are represented here. California Son finds Morrissey's voice in top form, brimming with sheer passion and ever-present humor in this tribute to some of his favorite songs. This album should be a huge hit - if only Morrissey's music could save him from himself. Tickets available at www.tickemaster.com

October 2 - Lana Del Rey @ WaMu Theater 8pm:
Much like the 500ft woman she portrays in the video for cover song 'Doin' Time', Lana Del Rey's body of work looms large in the musical landscape of the twenty-tens. The decade started with the slow-burning, precocious success of Born to Die and ends with the gorgeous, reflective soft-rock soundscape of Norman Fucking Rockwell! Though the typical Lana themes of endless summer and heavily-romanticized Americana still apply, the now 34-year old artist seems to be composing music that's more personal, less cult of personality with each release. The lyrics are both intimate and broadly wistful, revealing bits of her closely guarded relationships while alluding to the long shadow cast by national events that endanger our shared right to a beautiful American future. As for the album title, 'It was kind of an exclamation mark: so this is the American dream, right now,' she explained to Vanity Fair. 'This is where we're at - Norman fucking Rockwell. We're going to go to Mars, and Trump is president, all right.' Such is the state of our cultural landscape in the final half of 2019. Let the music of Lana Del Rey wash over you for one night at the WaMu Theater on October 2. Verified resale tickets are still available at www.ticketmaster.com

 Share on Facebook

Share on MySpace!

    Share on Delicious

Share on StumbleUpon!