Joe Henry
Scar
Mammoth Records
Rating: 5 Flaming Goat Heads
Since his 1986 debut, Joe Henry has always assembled casts of remarkable musicians. To his credit, the lineups of these backing bands are quietly tucked away in each album's liner notes to separate the music from their often-studious makers. Based upon dark Americana music, each of his nine records uses a combination of genres tailor-fit to a distinct sound. The appropriately titled Scar has a permanent grim backdrop made from elements of jazz, funk, latin and blues. At times the instruments will appear sourceless - as if they are being heard through walls. Drums are reduced to muted thumps and bumps, upright bass lines are merely pulses, and guitars are winding and scratchy. All the while, Henry's songwriting explores the underbelly of identity and love in often voyeuristic first -person accounts. He plays the characters of comedian Richard Pryor and ventriloquist Edgar Bergen with tearful visions of fame and its faded self. The lighter moments are filled out with an uptempo instrumental jam and a shuffling bluesy groove. If beauty is indeed a rare thing, then Scar is a rare opportunity to enjoy the dark beauty of emotion.
- -Pete Lusch
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