It takes a special songwriter to get you to listen - and possibly dance - to songs about arsonists and shoplifters. But Freedy Johnston keeps proving, record by record, that he is a short story author who writes with a guitar.
The Kansas-born Johnston first came to most people's attention thanks to those great talent scouts Bar/None Records, who issued his first record. “The Trouble Tree”. His most critical success came with 1994's “This Perfect World”, which was a favorite of many critics worldwide. And we know what a kiss of death that can be. It's tough for someone to straddle musical genres like rock and folk while writing demanding material. James McMurtry couldn't sustain it, even with his famous bloodline, and was dropped after three excellent albums that didn't sell big numbers. John Hiatt, maybe the premier songwriter of our generation, toured in obscurity for fifteen years before finally hitting paydirt with “Bring The Family” (and he WAS writing rock and roll songs!). Not young enough. Not the right "format". Ugh. Johnston's songs are poignant, hurting, joyful or alarming, but most of all they are visual. Maybe one or two songs can survive on melody alone (and you'd be missing so much), but this is no hit radio record by a long shot. Fortunately, Elektra seems to believe in Freedy. Their press machine is humming, and there's even a hilarious video for "On The Way Out" that airs on MTV. That song's primarily three-chord thrust makes it the only real rocker on the record, and a throwback to “The Trouble Tree” era. But maybe that video gateway will open up the door for more of his songs and let them appreciate Freedy's true genius - when the music is a little more mid-tempo and those great words bubble to the surface. If you prefer using your imagination rather than having everything visually interpreted for you, there's a wealth of stories here to gnaw on, like Freedy as the reluctant father in "If It's True" ("If I won't believe my own advice/I could never fool a child/and they don't forgive you once they see you've tried..."). Or the album's closer, "Something's Out There", a reassurance to a loved one from beyond the grave ("I was strong and I was brave/I was taken anyway...I'm coming back as someone else... you're going to be OK/and I won't leave you behind.")
Johnston has always written about offbeat characters, and this record is no exception. My favorite is "Gone To See The Fire", where Freedy sings about a girl who suddenly realizes that her boyfriend's idiosyncrasies are a little more dangerous than she thought: ("He hadn't been talking/parked out of the way/just sat there smoking/watching the flames/when the roof fell in/he lit up again....you're going to tell me why/we're the first to arrive...")
That's not to say the music isn't good - far from it. One of the perks of being successful is getting top-notch talent on your records, and Johnston scored big for Never Home. L.A. legend Danny Kortchmar produced and played guitars, with bassist Graham Maby (when will HIS record come out?) and ex-Heartbreaker Stan Lynch on drums. The uptempo songs are crisp and punchy, but producer "Kooch" wasn't afraid to let Johnston's more melancholy songs fly on their own merits. While the band kicks out when necessary, cello and lap steel underscore softer moments beautifully.
While there's pleasure to be had in spinning the record in any circumstances, “Never Home” is most impressive late on a rainy night or during that solo car trip on an open road. But by all means, do listen; “Never Home” is a wonderful slice of life from one of our best songwriters.
The Kansas-born Johnston first came to most people's attention thanks to those great talent scouts Bar/None Records, who issued his first record. “The Trouble Tree”. His most critical success came with 1994's “This Perfect World”, which was a favorite of many critics worldwide. And we know what a kiss of death that can be. It's tough for someone to straddle musical genres like rock and folk while writing demanding material. James McMurtry couldn't sustain it, even with his famous bloodline, and was dropped after three excellent albums that didn't sell big numbers. John Hiatt, maybe the premier songwriter of our generation, toured in obscurity for fifteen years before finally hitting paydirt with “Bring The Family” (and he WAS writing rock and roll songs!). Not young enough. Not the right "format". Ugh. Johnston's songs are poignant, hurting, joyful or alarming, but most of all they are visual. Maybe one or two songs can survive on melody alone (and you'd be missing so much), but this is no hit radio record by a long shot. Fortunately, Elektra seems to believe in Freedy. Their press machine is humming, and there's even a hilarious video for "On The Way Out" that airs on MTV. That song's primarily three-chord thrust makes it the only real rocker on the record, and a throwback to “The Trouble Tree” era. But maybe that video gateway will open up the door for more of his songs and let them appreciate Freedy's true genius - when the music is a little more mid-tempo and those great words bubble to the surface. If you prefer using your imagination rather than having everything visually interpreted for you, there's a wealth of stories here to gnaw on, like Freedy as the reluctant father in "If It's True" ("If I won't believe my own advice/I could never fool a child/and they don't forgive you once they see you've tried..."). Or the album's closer, "Something's Out There", a reassurance to a loved one from beyond the grave ("I was strong and I was brave/I was taken anyway...I'm coming back as someone else... you're going to be OK/and I won't leave you behind.")
Johnston has always written about offbeat characters, and this record is no exception. My favorite is "Gone To See The Fire", where Freedy sings about a girl who suddenly realizes that her boyfriend's idiosyncrasies are a little more dangerous than she thought: ("He hadn't been talking/parked out of the way/just sat there smoking/watching the flames/when the roof fell in/he lit up again....you're going to tell me why/we're the first to arrive...")
That's not to say the music isn't good - far from it. One of the perks of being successful is getting top-notch talent on your records, and Johnston scored big for Never Home. L.A. legend Danny Kortchmar produced and played guitars, with bassist Graham Maby (when will HIS record come out?) and ex-Heartbreaker Stan Lynch on drums. The uptempo songs are crisp and punchy, but producer "Kooch" wasn't afraid to let Johnston's more melancholy songs fly on their own merits. While the band kicks out when necessary, cello and lap steel underscore softer moments beautifully.
While there's pleasure to be had in spinning the record in any circumstances, “Never Home” is most impressive late on a rainy night or during that solo car trip on an open road. But by all means, do listen; “Never Home” is a wonderful slice of life from one of our best songwriters.
Track listing
01. "On The Way Out" (Freedy Johnston) - 2:48
02. "I'm Not Hypnotized" (Freedy Johnston) - 3:14
03. "Western Sky" (Freedy Johnston) - 4:30
04. "One More Thing To Break" (Freedy Johnston) - 3:42
05. "He Wasn't Murdered" (Freedy Johnston) - 3:11
06. "You Get Me Lost" (Freedy Johnston) - 4:31
07. "Hotel Seventeen" (Freedy Johnston) - 3:36
08. "Gone To See The Fire" (Freedy Johnston) - 3:12
09. "Seventies Girl" (Freedy Johnston) - 4:06
10. "If It's True" (Freedy Johnston) - 4:00
11. "Something's Out There" (Freedy Johnston / Stan Lynch) - 3:31
Credits
Vocals, Guitar, Guitar [Tenor] – Freedy Johnston
Backing Vocals – Mary Lee Kortes
Bass – Graham Maby
Drums, Percussion – Stan Lynch
Guitar – Dave Schramm
Mastered By – Ted Jensen
Producer, Guitar, Keyboards, Percussion – Danny Kortchmar
Recorded By [Additional], Engineer [2nd] – Thom Leinbach
Recorded By, Mixed By – Peter Denenberg
Steel Guitar [Lap] – Dave Schramm
Notes
Released: February 25, 1997
Genre: Alternative, Indie Rock
Length: 40:18
Label: Elektra Records
© 1997
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