Spark of Life
Five essential Graham Parker albums, by Mat Snow.
Searching for the good chord: Parker in Hollywood, 1976
Graham Parker And The Rumour
★★★★
Howlin’ Wind
(Vertigo, 1976)
Rootsy pub rock had deft musicians but few strong songwriters: enter Graham Parker, devout Stones, Van and Dylan disciple with his own beady edge, a proto-Costello romantic beneath the street-rat belligerence. Swinging, singalong and convivial, White Honey and Silly Thing anticipate Dexys Midnight Runners in this filler-free debut.