King of the New York Streets

The city of New York oughta build a statue of Dion. Like only a handful of rock-era singers--Frankie Valli and Lou Reed come to mind--the Bronx's Dion DiMucci embodies the city's swagger and energy. The amply annotated and illustrated King of the New York Streets neatly captures three phases of Dion on a trio of discs: "The Wanderer" (the doo-wop/pop idol years), "Abraham, Martin & John" (chronicling his confessional singer-songwriter period), and "Brooklyn Dodger" (on the comeback trail). The cocksure leader of the Belmonts and young solo sensation who scored hits with "Runaround Sue" and "The Wanderer" may have lost some of his bluster by the time of 1968's elegiac "Abraham, Martin & John" (penned 20 minutes after Robert Kennedy's assassination) and 1970's "My Own Backyard," which addresses his recovery from heroin addiction. The final disc, however, highlights the work of an artist who's unbowed. Here's an aging but still motivated and gifted performer coming up with solid new songs while confidently interpreting contemporary material (Bruce Springsteen's "If I Should Fall Behind" is turned into a lovely street-corner serenade) and oldies. A 1999 take on another Springsteen song--"Book of Dreams"--proves that, a full 40 years after he first hit the top 10 with "Teenager in Love," Dion's passion persists. --Steven Stolder