JIM BIANCO

Loudmouth

jimbianco.com

Even in a bad economy, people are willing to pay extra for products of rare character and quality. Case in point: Jim Bianco’s third album, a fan-funded collection that combines the populist soul-pop of Huey Lewis’ greatest hits with the gruff vocals and skewed humor of early Tom Waits records. Bianco is more Lewis than Waits—he never sounds like a wizened, whiskey-soaked lounge lizard—but he can turn a phrase better than the average singer-songwriter. On “Elevator Operator,” the disc’s most playful cut, Bianco sings about a girl whose career ambitions involve pushing buttons and making small talk. She sounds kooky but nice—just Bianco’s type.