Urban Folk music reviews

"When the bug hits, that's the time to scratch it"...

That's the opening sentiment of this record. In terms of WEST OF ROME, that's good advice. Vic Chesnutt's world is one where front porches are "filled with greasy, greasy grannies". Where Florida is "The Redneck Riviera". Not to mention the perfect place to "retire from life".

3 songs in, he's singing about the world being a spronge. & Chesnutt pretty much writes like one. Soaking up all the eccentricities of the world around him & then wringing out every last drop for your entertainment. Without a doubt, he is one of the most original & compelling songwriters to come out of the 90's Indy revolution. The same era that spawned the likes of Will Oldham & Elliott Smith.

If "Bruce" sings for the working man & Tom Waits is the poet laureate of the gutter, well then, I'll go far as to say Chesnutt's the small Southern town equivalent. Fans of REM, who miss the quirky Southern charms of their early work, can find more than a few fables of the Reconstruction here. One listen & you'll not be surprised to hear Mr. Stipe produced this gem.

WEST OF ROME is without a doubt, considered a heavy contender among Chestnutt admirers. And the bonus tracks alone are going to be enough to rope them in again. Especially "Flying", "Dying Young" & "Shipping Out". For those just getting their feet wet, this is probably THE best place to start. The perfect introduction.

This is my very first Vic Chesnutt album so I am not going to compare it to any of his others - I can't even compare it to any other album that I own (and I own many). Why? Well, Vic is a very unique singer/songwriter. The closest comparison I can make is to Bob Dylan mixed with REM (which makes sense when you consider Michael Stipe produced this album). Two musicians I love, but would not necessarily put together in my CD player. Somehow though, it works (and works well).
Standout tracks include...
#1 Bug - the song makes me laugh and the chorus gets stuck in my head, but in a good way.
#6 Florida - such a pretty sounding song that says some not so nice things...I swear Michael Stipe sings a bit on this one too, but no credit is given to him for vocals.
#7 Stupid Preoccupations - a catchy self-deprecating song.
#10 Steve Willoughby - again with the self-deprecating, but this one pokes funs at others too.
#13 Soggy Tongues - I absolutely love the music, the words are a pleasant bonus.
#15 Nathan - haunting...I feel like you could make a movie based on this song. Bonus Track
#16 Where's the Clock - My favorite song on the album. Poetic and lyrical. Bonus Track
#18 Flying - Not much music, it's more of a sing-talk thing. Very melancholy. Bonus Track
#21 Confusion - There is a beautiful symmetry to this song with the lyrics and the instrumental. Bonus Track
#22 Shipping Out - Vic's voice isn't what you would call pretty, but it sounds very sweet on this one. A great album ender. Bonus Track (can you tell I liked the bonus tracks?)
In general the 22 songs on West of Rome are witty and melancholy. I am hopelessly and completely addicted and have filled my wish list with the rest of Vic?s recordings. Highly recommended album.

I've had this album for almost 20 years, and I still love it, along with what I think is McCalla's first one, "Don't Doubt It." Great, fun, thoughtful music to put on your iPod and exercise to, or to have on while cooking dinner.

I can't believe no one has reviewed this yet. It's been out for years and years. Well, since nobody else has spoken up, I'll do it. If you like folk/rock/pop, you should pick this album up, especially if you are into good songwriting. The melodies are infectious and the lyrics are top notch. There isn't a bad song on the whole album, but there are a few that really stand out(at least for me, they do.) "Ordinary Weekend" is one of them. The lyrics to this song are like reading a really good novel. Except you get a catchy melody to go with it. "Me Against Me" is another incredible track. It has a great feeling-lonely-late-at-night vibe to it. There are plenty of other tracks I could go on and on about like, "Dead Centre of Town", "The Original Miss Jesus", "Where The Bodies Are", but if I get started I'll go on forever. Let me just say that JWH is such a good writer that I'm not surprised he wrote a book. To wrap this up, if you are a JWH fan and you don't have this, get it. If you are unfamiliar with the man, picture a cross between Bob Dylan and Elvis Costello and you'll have some idea of what you're in for. I hope this helps.

The guy sings like he's an 80-year-old with cotton balls jammed in his mouth. Well, that's unfair of me, he doesn't actually sing, he talks with a sing-song aspect to his voice over really lame "I-made-this-on-my-Macintosh" electronic feeds.

As a bizarro-rock wunderkind, and modern purveyor of the genreless melding of limited vocalization over flurried acoustic folk music, Danny Cohen has probably seen more criticism than praise in his 30-plus-year career. However, were it not for his latest album, We're All Gunna Die, this pressing malady would probably haunt Cohen for all eternity. Following the theme of death, the album peaks with songs like "Cousin Guy," a drawling, melancholy opus discussing everything and nothing in the way that only Cohen can. "Among the Cows" reveals the creepiness with which Cohen can deliver his visions as he sarcastically frets over love and peace. This certainly isn't an album for everyone. But I'd venture to guess that Cohen really wouldn't care what you thought anyway.

- Ryan Prado
Synthesis.net