"Burning Questions" is a typical Graham Parker album, which means that it's well-crafted, edgy, articulate R&B. Graham's essentially had the same sound since 1975's "Howling Wind," and "Burning Questions" doesn't do anything to vary the tried-and-true formula. Graham nods in Dylan's direction with "Just Like Joe Meek's Blues" and "Just Like Herman Hesse." He includes the obligatory misogynist rant in "Platinum Blonde," tosses in a beautiful, bittersweet Costello-like ballad in "Long Stemmed Rose," issues a dire warning against the loss of human rights in "Here It Comes Again," and takes a cynical view of the Persian Gulf War in "Short Memories." All of which makes for pretty terrific songwriting, and all of which will probably sell squat.

It makes me wonder what Graham can do for an encore. Where next after Capitol? And it makes me wonder whether that long string of rarely great but always very good albums can continue. The voice still escapes midway between a whine and a howl, the point of view is still bitchy and pissed-off, and the playing is as sharp as ever. So who wants the rock 'n roll equivalent of an Old Testament prophet? Me, for one. And apparently not too many others.

Andy Whitman
AT&T Bell Laboratories, Columbus, Ohio
att!cblpn!ajw or
ajw@cblpn.att.com

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