Joe Henry
Civilians
Anti – 86890-2
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also available on amazon
This new release, his second on Anti, from Joe Henry, who lately has been more producer (he did produce this one) than recording artist, is a somber feeling period piece, that contains 12 well crafted songs that reflect his musings, or thinking about the state of things now. He has assembled a group of musicians that under his direction and with their talent, fulfill his vision, Bill Frisell on guitar, Van Dyke Parks on piano on 2 tracks, Patrick Warren piano, pump organ and chamblerin; string arrangement and conducting, dobro master Greg Leisz, bassist Dave Piltch, and long time drummer Jay Bellerose. The songs seem to echo a sepia toned photograph in feel and texture with no wild changes to take you away from the stories he has crafted with exquisite detail and care. There are times when
the songs seem to blend into one another and become one long song, but never in a way that detracts from what is being said, just the tempos and sepia tone can tend to lull and blur beginnings and endings. It has a feeling of cohesiveness, and thus it becomes its own entity and a full and complete statement. A statement that is eloquently expressive of a soul that has pondered long and deep before uttering the words it has to say.