Review: It’s Dwight Twilley’s Turn Once Again

Dwight Twilley
The Best Of – The Tulsa Years 1999-2016, Volume 1
Paramour Records
Four Out of Five Stars

Long considered one of the prime architects of what came to be considered power pop, Dwight Twilley’s fame and notoriety seems to have more or less faded with the passage of time. Consequently, The Best Of – The Tulsa Years, Volume 1 provides a timely refresher as far as Twilley’s talents are concerned. One of the original signees to Leon Russell’s Shelter Records along with Tom Petty, he was credited with helping to establish the “Tulsa Sound.” He struck gold quickly with the release of “I’m On Fire,” in 1975, a certified hit that provided him with a profile early on. He regained momentum from the late ‘90s, establishing a cottage industry of stores that produced no less than six albums of original material over the course of the next 17 years.

The Best of Dwight Twilley The Tulsa Years 1999-2016 Vol 1 covers that prolific period with a sampling of deep cuts from each of those albums, specifically, Tulsa, The Luck, 47 Moons, Green Blimp, Soundtrack, and Always. Chances are, dedicated Twilley aficionados have all the material already, but those that remember him solely from his early tenure with Shelter will likely find the 20 tracks included here something of a revelation. Not that Twilley necessarily changed his tack; songs such as “Could Be Love,” “Let Her Dance,” “No Place Like Home” and “Runnin’” put the emphasis on simplicity, courtesy of their catchy choruses and rapid refrains. Nevertheless, Twilley is far from a one-trick pony; “Beauty Dirt” is established via a stuttered rhythm, but its emphatic and assertive sound qualifies it as something akin to a Pink Floyd outtake. The softly-hewed “Let It Rain,” “It’s Hard To Be a Rebel,” “Reach for the Sky,” “Chandra,” “47 Moons,” and “Oh Carrie” all come across at a decidedly slower pace. On the other hand, “Goodbye,” “Runaway With You,” “Speed of Light,” “Get Up,” “Doctor,” and “Better Watch Out” are just the opposite, their didactic drive conveying a more authoritative stance.

With 20 songs in all, The Best of Dwight Twilley The Tulsa Years 1999-2016 Vol 1 is an ideal primer for anyone that’s new to Twilley’s efforts or those who want a quick catch-up on his recent work. Either way, it’s an essential compendium by an artist clearly deserving of renewed recognition.

Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images