Banga: Hey, Hey Wake Up.

Poetry, an American’s poetry and the medium is rock n’ roll; Banga is Patti Smith’s latest release and her first release of original music in eight years. Songs about singers and saints sung in sonic swirling symphonic style abound. Banga, the title track is the most rockin’ song of the lot. April Fool is reminiscent of the Motels’ “Take the L Out of Lover” only smarter. The tribute to Amy Winehouse “This is the Girl” is an apt and sad song Amy herself might have sung, a fitting tribute to an artist from an artist. There are strings, clarinets, barking dog sounds and children in the mixes. Layers of sound and lyrics add up to her best original release since “Gung Ho”. Ponderous, yes, but isn’t that how a Patti Smith record should be. The listener should be lost in her sound and poetry entranced by her invocations.  The traveler is ever the American of the 21^st century standing in the past but rooted in the now. Aware and in awe of the saints and sins and travelers of the past she watches and scribes songs of the travelers and seers. Patti Smith’s dreams are dreams of life and art and basilicas. “Constantine’s Dream” is an example of Patti Smith the artist evoking, emoting, making art. This is the important “Patti Smith” on the record. The last song is a cover of Neil Young’s “After the Gold Rush”. Like every Neil Young song it is beautiful and better as a cover than his version. Neil Young is another American genius and deserves of the respect Patti Smith and her child chorus gives him. “Hey, Hey wake up!

Painting by Jo Pendola