Jim Carroll's
Dry Dreams is in a style similar to that of his debut release. Despite the expanded instrumentation suggested by the personnel list on the album cover, the music here is still generally new wave-oriented, stripped down, and often propelled by an itchy beat. As one might expect from the author of
The Basketball Diaries,
Carroll's lyrics are wonderfully evocative and literate, to be favorably counted among rock music's best. Parallels to
Lou Reed,
Iggy Pop, and
Patti Smith (this last pointed up by including guest guitarist/co-songwriter
Lenny Kaye on the final track) are especially noticeable. Songs here are generally fine, if perhaps not quite as punchily memorable as those on his prior album. A few interesting alleyways are explored here, including the more traditionally tuneful and more fully scored "Rooms" and the multisectional "Barricades," which alternates slower
Bob Dylan-derived music with faster, rocking material. This sturdy disc is well worth hearing.