Jim Lauderdale, "Time Flies" (Yep Roc)
Jim Lauderdale is a steady geyser of Americana, releasing over two dozen solo albums and collaborations and writing for and with many mostly country musicians — from George Strait to Rodney Crowell and from the Dixie Chicks to George Jones — at a steaming pace.
Being prolific, however, would not mean much if Lauderdale's songwriting and singing weren't as consistently great as "Time Flies" once again demonstrates.
The first half of the album explores classic and contemporary country sounds: the melancholy title track, the environmentally conscious "The Road Is a River," the Willie Nelson-like "Slow As Molasses" and "When I Held the Cards," a tear-jerker of a hard-luck story.
There's even more variety later, including the noir-ish "Wearing Out Your Cool," sax solo included, and two swinging tunes in "Wild on Me Fast" and "While You're Hoping," with echoes of Leon Russell and Dr. John and mentions of everyone from Cleopatra to Monet.
Maybe as a coda to his Beatle-inspired 2017 album, "London Southern," there's gentle psychedelia on "It Blows My Mind," on which Lauderdale sounds a bit like Stan Ridgeway on the verses. On the final tune, "If the World's Still Here Tomorrow," Lauderdale vows that, if we all live to see another sunrise, "I'll still be loving you," doomsday be damned.
Also seeing its long-delayed release simultaneously with "Time Flies" is Lauderdale's first full album, a 1979 collaboration with bluegrass great Roland White which they recorded in Earl Scruggs' basement.
With top-notch backing from guitarist Chris Scruggs and bassist Jay Weaver, "Time Flies" continues Lauderdale's prolonged streak of unfailing quality, memorable songs and great performances. Best of all, he'll probably release another one just as good in a year or so.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. has determined that an Israeli military unit committed gross human-rights abuses against Palestinians in the West Bank before the war in Gaza began six months ago, but it will hold off on any decision about aid to the battalion while it reviews new information provided by Israel, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson.
The undated letter, obtained by The Associated Press on Friday, defers a decision by the U.S. whether to impose a first-ever block on U.S. aid to an Israeli military unit over its treatment of Palestinians. Israeli leaders, anticipating the U.S. decision this week, have angrily protested any such aid restrictions.
Blinken stressed that U.S. military support for Israel’s defense against Hamas and other threats would not be affected by the State Department's final decision on the one unit. Johnson muscled through legislation providing $26 billion in additional funds for Israel's defense and for relief of the growing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.
The U.S. declaration concerns a single Israeli unit and its actions against Palestinian civilians in the West Bank before Israel's war with Hamas in Gaza began in October. While the unit is not identified in Blinken's letter, it is believed to be the Netzah Yehuda, which has historically been based in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
The unit and some of its members have been linked to abuses of civilians in the Palestinian territory, including the death of a 78-year-old Palestinian American man after his detention by the battalion's forces in 2022.
Blinken said the Israeli government has so far not adequately addressed the abuses by the military unit. But "the Israeli government has presented new information regarding the status of the unit and we will engage on identifying a path to effective remediation for this unit,” he wrote.
A 1997 act known as the Leahy law obligates the U.S. to cut off military aid to a foreign army unit that it deems has committed grave violations of international law or human rights. But the law allows a waiver if the military has held the offenders responsible and acted to reform the unit.
The Leahy law has never been invoked against close ally Israel.
The U.S. review comes as protests and counterprotests over American military aid for Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza are roiling U.S. college campuses as well as election-year politics at home and relations abroad.
Lee contributed from Beijing.
FILE - Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a press conference, April 26, 2024, in Beijing, China. In a letter from Blinken to House Speaker Mike Johnson obtained by the Associated Press Friday, April 26, Blinken says the U.S. has determined that an Israeli military unit committed gross human-rights abuses against Palestinians in the West Bank before the war in Gaza began six months ago. But he says the U.S. will hold off on any decision about aid to the battalion while it reviews new information provided by Israel. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana, File)
Mother of Palestinian Shadi Jalaita, 44, cries upon the arrival of her son's body at the family house for the last look during his funeral in the West Bank city of Jericho Tuesday, April 23, 2024. Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian man early Tuesday in the West Bank city of Jericho, an eyewitness and Palestinian officials said. The Palestinian Health Ministry said he suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the chest. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a press conference at the U.S. Embassy in China, Friday, April 26, 2024, in Beijing, China. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, Pool)
