"I have not encountered such intense devotion to bare-naked emotional poetic lyrics ever. The music is a cross between early James Taylor, Van Morrison and Bob Dylan and the lyrics are straight out of a delusional, schizophrenic genious poet's notebook. The words are not fancy, but they comprise unexpectedly insightful ideas about how we think in such an estranged era. The music is simply Dan's voice and Dan's guitar. And his harmonica sometimes. This is plenty to take you right out of your life and look at the world with a nonsequitur bent. This music grows on you like a weed- a fragrant, muppety, strangely beautiful weed."
Dan Bern caused quite a stir in Corpus Christi
07/19/1998
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Dan Bern showed up in Corpus Christi split our heads open and ate the insides. When I heard Jerusalem for the first time, I knew this guy was too warped to be forgotten. I was so taken with that song, I played to a group of college students. Judging from their blank expressions, it was a bit esoteric for them. I suppose if he changed his name to Electric Frog Toast, they might have gotten it. In any case, this CD rocks!"
Its the quality, not the quanity that counts!
10/15/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"A single CD can only contain so much greatness, thats why only six tracks. "oklahoma" and "live another day" are effectively poingnant. "Kurt" is mortality satire. "Jeruselm" wanders in and out of a love song. "Talkin,Alien abduction blues" is sci-fi satire. "Hannibal" Im still working on this one, but I suppose its about narrow minded biggots. I always play the whole CD, and sometimes once isnt enough. what can I say, Dan's the Man"
Between what i feel&what i say is a 30 ft. barbed wirefence
Sean M Ward | New Milford, CT United States | 04/12/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Dan's first official release came after spending many years roaming the L.A. coffeehouse/ bar scene. It begins with his most famous song (famous in a relative way) the hilarious over-the-top "Jerusalem" and ends with the heart-wrenching account of the Ok. City bombings "Oklaholma."
Dan has a way of powerfully binding the most ridiculous with the most profound in a way that does not leave you feeling like he is the least bit insincere.
This may be the place to begin to quench curiosity about him.
He switches back and forth from the confident "Jerusalem" to the touching ode to "Kurt" and Mr. Cobain's young confused "little girls who cried like rain." From the questioning of life found in "live another day" to the silly playful "talkin' alien abduction blues."
He would go on and make more ambitious work, but this is a snapshot of an artist ready to take on the world."
Dan's Best
rswayment | San Antonio, TX USA | 10/04/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Absolute perfection. Spare, but solid production THE best officialy released Bern CD. Powerful, brooding, hilarious, and expansive. This one has it all (with no clunkers or missteps). If you haven't heard Dan Bern before, this is the one to check out. If you're already a fan, why don't you already own this?"