What I heard....3/18/09

Back in the day, and even now, I've been a little obsessed with Peter Gabriel's REALWORLD record label. It's made up primarily of international music artists, so I watch carefully when a US artist is signed. So begins the collection of Joseph Arthur. I have 5 of his, and damn him, he's snuck a couple new ones in the last year or two that I don't have yet! His first, Big City Secrets, is raw, jagged and beautiful at the same time--songs like "Daddy's On Prozac" lead you that way. His next three albums, Come to Where I'm From, Redemption's Son, and Our Shadows Will Remain are nothing short of masterpieces: tightly written and played songs and thoughtful lyrics. You might recognize "In the Sun" from the movie Saved--a nearly perfect song. "Honey and the Moon," "Can't Exist" and "The Real You" are equally beautiful. But JA also still doesn't completely discard his early roughness, like "Stumble and Pain" and "Wasted." Nuclear Daydream represents a step backward in my opinion--a little too mainstream--so I will anxious to hear his latest. Final note: I listen to an Akron radio station, The Summit, online. That's where JA is from, and I can always count on them to keep me up to date on him.