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Album Review
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Mass Live, Album Review >>
CD reviews: Blue October, John Martyn tribute disc
Published: Monday, October 03, 2011, 8:23 AM
By Kevin O'Hare, The Republican
Blue October, “Any Man in America” (Own Up/Down Records). 3 stars
Lead singer Justin Furstenfeld’s messy divorce and brutal custody battle for his daughter form the backdrop for this album which is emotionally powerful in a field where few artists dare to tread.
For those still unfamiliar with Blue October, the sound is mostly big, with Furstenfeld frequently evoking echoes of prime-time Peter Gabriel or eels on songs like the atmospheric “The Feel Again (Stay)” and the single “The Chills” with even traces of Waterboys’ Celtic roots in the sweeping soundscape of “The Money Tree.”
There are also some hip-hop rhythms heard along the way, but they rarely lift the music, despite the over-the-top verbal tirade Furstenfeld lets loose in a track such as “Any Man in America.”
That’s all balanced off by some beautiful melodies, including the high harmonies that elevate “You Waited Too Long,” and the moving, life-affirming, string-backed finale “The Follow Through,” where the singer gets some superb support from vocalist Patricia Lynn of The Soldier Thread.
Tracks to download: “The Chills,” “The Feel Again (Stay).”
Various Artists, “Johnny Boy Would Love This…A Tribute to John Martyn” (Hole in the Rain). 4 stars.
A hero to many in the States and justifiably revered in his native Great Britain, guitarist and songwriter extraordinaire John Martin cast a long shadow on the music world from his debut recording in 1967 until his death in Jan. 2009.
During his lifetime, his songs were frequently covered by major artists, so it’s no surprise to find some impressive names gathered here, all taking on Martyn’s material with a distinctive flair.
The 30-track double CD, which also includes a 40-page booklet and DVD, offers numerous highlights, among them Clarence Fountain and Sam Butler’s soft gospel “Glorious Fool;” the echo and reverb-filled “Small Hours” by Robert Smith of The Cure; The Swell Season’s absolutely perfect take of one of Martyn’s best-known songs, “I Don’t Want to Know;” and Snow Patrol’s haunting and delicate “May You Never.”
A major treat is Vashti Bunyan’s version of “Head and Heart,” a song that had been exquisitely covered by America in the 1970s. Among others appearing here are Beck, Phil Collins and Beth Orton.
10/03/11 >> go there
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