Dunno whether to have my copy sent here, or if I can wait another 11 days :wink: http://www.harperspace.com/xcart/product.php?productid=16151&cat=0&page=1&featured
Was listening to it on the way into work. Loving it already. I have to admit that I'm really struggling to get a handle on it though. I can see a western cowboy influence in some songs, and an american gangster in another. It's got a great grand feel at places, but then goes gentle, and delicate in others... Eclectic is the word I think. A few more listens and I'll write some more!
Only listened to it a couple of times (due hearing problems) but I think this album is his most self indulgent yet. Not really sure about it, will need to listen to it a few more times before I can truly say how I feel about it but I know I definitely don't like Pop Fiction.
We talked rather a lot about Pop Fiction in the interview... out this week, possibly Thursday morning... which might amuse or annoy, I'm not quite sure which
Studio vs. ONE-MAN Band My copy arrived last Thursday or Friday. I listened to it and my other new "Miracles for Beginners" each a couple times. The first several songs seem to set a higher ambition level to me, where songs later on ("Pop Fiction" is a prime example) seem more artistically self-indulgent. Not that that's a BAD thing... A few songs seem memorable so far, but I wonder if what bothers me and others in the early stages is simply that Nick and the producers got ambitious in the studio. They made a rather full and rich sound, more of a full band than I expected. When Nick played in Chicago last November, it was just him on his songs, he only played with Cy on Cy's song's. Is that how Nick is touring his latest CD? He was excellent, but afterwards he seemed a bit burnt out from the hectic travel schedule. I hope Nick can find a balance between family and touring, and find a happy range between pleasing fans and his own artistic impulses. I think the song "The Last Guitar" is meant to be simple, solitary, and celebratory, especially if it's not too commercial to play live. And it has a power vocal! Enough of my over-analyzing... WAKE UP, everybody! It'll take me some time to pick my new favorites. Best, Jack
