Listening to Jeff Black brings to the surface the age-old lament: why are other less talented-by-far musicians famous and wealthy when he continues to roll out gem after gem in veritable anonymity?
Are the gods and goddesses swirling above and around the music industry tone deaf or talent blind?
The primary answer is, thank you to H.L. Mencken, "No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American people."
But enough with that hornet's nest -- let's focus on Black's music and some of the cuts.
His latest release -- "B-Sides & Confessions Volume II" -- offers another excursion into Black's well-honed craft. He can be point-A-to-point-B straightforward with his lyrics but also maintains a solid streak of impressionism, serving up sketches of humankind that leave room for interpretation. Overall, it's a musical buffet.
The bluesy "All Right Now" opens Black's song selections and will have listeners swearing Greg Brown is performing. Yes, identification of one performer through another is probably artistic heresy but this ties back in to the opening paragraph.
"Molly Rose" is the embodiment of his unique style -- a method of describing a situation through an elevated erudition. First he writes about "...a scab of a man..." and then proceeds:
"...he whittled her down and badgered her prizeYes, Black could have rotely advanced his story-telling here by traveling the 'he beat her, I'm going to kill him' route but instead he displayed an advanced artistry above what many others would have written.
he played on her faults and blackened her eyes
then for once in my life I took purpose and creed
I couldn't stand by and watch the bastard succeed..."
In "Avalon," Black supplies what would make quite the impression etched on a cemetery headstone but is more likely referring to the island where King Arthur went for rest and recovery.
Backed by gaunt piano, "Impala" is a paean to an outlier figure simultaneously revered and feared by a younger collective. Listen and you'll believe it's another appearance by Brown.
The mandolin enhanced "Alice Carry" just silences the world, bringing all to a standstill. Of course, the clock never stops its forward tick but the mind's eye of the listener prevails over all other elements here as Black is riveting with a rendition about a Hollywood-dreaming Okie destined for a mundane life. No great books would be authored nor heroic actions undertaken yet nothing would be wrong with such a life of simple love and raising a family. Minus regret, the lead character sings at the end "some of us are lucky and some of us make due..." The literal authenticity on display when Black employs "hey hey Oklahoma" as a dual greeting/flirting between the figures is a stroke of genius.
With a downbeat bent, "Days On End," goes counterpoint to "Alice Carry."
An admission of wrongdoing accompanying a lesson learned carries "Miss Me."
"An Evil Lesson is Soon Learned" has an upbeat rollicking rhythm surrounding a story of harm.
Serving the purpose of forsaking the pursuit of fickle fandom for the resolute draw of home and hearth is the backbone of "True Love Never Let Me Down."
In "Sunday Falling," Black expounds that the seventh day is a period of time with a different feeling.
Time alongside quality artistry is always well spent. Buddy up with Jeff Black to make that happen.
Songs
* All Right Now
* Molly Rose
* Avalon
* Impala
* Alice Carry
* Days On End
* Miss Me
* An Evil Lesson Is Soon Learned
* Good Old Days
* True Love Never Let Me Down
* Remain
* Sunday Falling
copyright 2013 Jeff Black
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