concert_goer | Loudon Wainwright III — Loudon Live In London (2025) @@@

Loudon's new live album features selected recordings from his performances at Nell's Jazz & Blues Club in London on March 22-24, 2024. Wainwright III plays solo on acoustic guitar, blows harmonica on the opening track Harry's Wall, and strums a ukulele on Oedipus Rex, a song originally by Tom Lehrer.

The tracklist spans different periods of his career, from early classics like Motel Blues and Be Careful, There's a Baby in the House to recent tunes Tar Heel and Posthumously Yours, both making their official debut here. Between songs, Loudon keeps the audience entertained with plenty of storytelling, touching on death and decay as well as his other favorite topics. The set includes Memorial Service, a recital piece that is both melancholic and darkly funny.

The song Out of This World is performed by Loudon alongside his son Rufus. Daughter, written by Peter Blegvad, is a true highlight of the record — it sounds absolutely fantastic! I Remember Sex is both deeply sad and oddly amusing. Loudon's take on Bob Dylan's Don't Think Twice, It's Alright feels unexpectedly playful. Grey in LA is a delight, as is White Winos, with its poignant refrain: "Mother liked her white wine, she'd have a glass or two" (or three, or four).

A pleasant album — not exactly groundbreaking, but a warm and engaging document of Loudon's live performances in the later years of his career. 21 track, 76 minutes.