Loudon Wainwright III: Older Than My Old Man Now

As the title of the album suggests, Loudon Wainwright III is getting older, but thankfully the more things change, the more they stay the same. At 65 years old he is still going strong. Once again he has crafted an album of songs that are divided between the deeply affecting and the hilariously observant. On the opening track (“The Here and the Now”), he admits that he’s not quite sure exactly how he got where he is in life, but he’s smart enough not to dwell on it. Loudon’s biggest strength has always been turning his painful relationships and memories into some of the best written folk songs of his generation. This album takes his confessional side to a whole other level, especially with the song “The Days That We Die.” In it, he and his son (singer/songwriter Rufus Wainwright) sing about their differences and how they can’t change the past, but they can change how they act in the future. The theme of regrets of the past shaping one’s future is the foundation for this outstanding album, and everyone should give it a listen.