Search - John Prine :: Fair & Square

John Prine
Fair & Square
Genres: Country, Folk, Pop, Rock

Track Listings (14) - Disc #1
1. Glory Of True Love
2. Crazy As A Loon
3. Long Monday
4. Taking A Walk
5. Some Humans Ain't Human
6. My Darlin' Hometown
7. Morning Train
8. The Moon Is Down
9. Clay Pigeons
10. She Is My Everything
11. I Hate It When That Happens To Me
12. Bear Creek Blues
13. Other Side Of Town
14. Safety Joe

CD Details

All Artists: John Prine
Title: Fair & Square
Members Wishing: 11
Total Copies: 0
Label: Oh Boy
Release Date: 4/26/2005
Genres: Country, Folk, Pop, Rock
Styles: Traditional Folk, Contemporary Folk, Singer-Songwriters
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 094012003425

Synopsis

Album Description

John Prine takes his own sweet time dancing with his muse -- and truly writes what's in his soul. So if it takes him a little longer to write the songs that capture moments and reveal the gently folded human truths that bind us all together. It's always worth the wait. Now, nearly nine years since the release of his Grammy-nominated Lost Dogs & Mixed Blessings, the iconic American writer has put the finishing touches on his latest offering, appropriately titled, Fair & Square. "It was just time," says Prine in his always understated way. "I had a bunch of songs. I'd started recording them, and it turns out, I liked them pretty well. So, now, I get to get them all just the way I like them - and then I get to let them go out to meet the world." With the occasional wheezing accordion, curlicue electric guitar parts, quick-wristed mandolins, billowing B-3 pads and puddles of pedal steel guitar, the rough-voiced singer/songwriter's first self-produced record is a homey affair that draws generously from the palette of traditional American music -- be it folk, bluegrass, shuffles, vintage rock & roll, torch, country -- for an amalgamation that would be at home on any Wurlitzer in a whiskey-soaked tavern with beer signs flickering from age and the walls stained deeper than sepia from the years of constant smoke. With bluegrass queen Alison Krauss on the ode to his Irish refuge "My Darlin' Hometown", the street corner desolation of "The Moon Is Down" and alt-country princess Mindy Smith bringing allure and tartness to "Morning Train," "Long Monday" and the melted neon ponder of "Taking A Walk," Fair & Square is the work of a man at ease with his life, secure with his place in the world and willing to share the things that he sees. "It's been a while, so I'm pretty excited," Prine admits with that Oh Boy grin. "And that's a really good place to be."

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Member CD Reviews

Kathryn H. (book-spy) from BOWLING GREEN, KY
Reviewed on 8/8/2006...

This is one of John's best. Again he moves through time with his music, from Long Monday to Safety Joe. Prine at his peak, again!

-K.

CD Reviews

A new classic

PKM | Minneapolis, MN USA | 07/26/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I notice the two negative reviews I've seen here are both upset because of JP's anti-Bush stuff on "Some Humans Ain't Human." Specifically, he says "...some cowboy from Texas, starts his own war in Iraq..."

Oh....please. This is a guy who's been anti-war, anti-establishment and anti-a-whole-lot-of-other-stuff since he's been writing music. Maybe you'll recall "Your Flag Decal Won't Get You into Heaven Anymore," from his first album, or "Take the Star Out of the Window," from his second album. There's a lot of them. Either you haven't been listening, or you've just got your head so far up Bush's (...) that you're unable to hear any honest criticism without throwing the baby (an outstanding album) out with the bathwater (your political views). This is still America, more or less, and the guy has every right to say what he feels.

I've been a big Prine fan since the mid 70s, and used to go see him live with Steve Goodman back in the day. For my money, this is one of his best albums. His voice has aged (go figure), but not in any way that detracts, for me. His soul shines though on these tunes, and a few of them are really just beautiful.

I'm so happy he seems to be on the other side of his throat cancer, and is still on stages, grinning.

"

If I weren't a Prine fan...

nate | 01/09/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"...I'd fall in love with "Fair & Square" anyway. But I've been a John Prine fan for years, and I think this may be his best since his 1st album over 30 years ago. That's saying alot because Mr. Prine's 1st album is one of my favorites of any style in all of time. I grew up as a rock/funk/jazz fan and never cared much for country or folk music (Merle Haggard & Johnny Cash being 2 of a small handful of exceptions).

It would be redundant to repeat all the other reviews describing the songs, so here's why I like "Fair & Square" so much: aside from having all the elements that make John unique (wry wit, lyrics that make you think, etc.), his voice gives these tunes a dark, sentimental - even innocent charm. It would be tough for anyone else to give the same songs the same flavor. Also the melodies are refreshingly simple, as are the instrumental arrangements. "The Glory of True Love" bounces along with a friendly vibe, then out of nowhere, the mandolin takes a dark minor scale solo and the guitar lurches out with the rockabilly blues, then right back to happy again. But ain't love just like that? Therein lies the subtle genius of Prine.

Jason Wilbur plays what the old folks call "sideman", a term for lead guitarist of a famous name (Scotty Moore was Elvis Presley's sideman, Don Rich was Buck Owen's sideman, etc.). Mr. Wilbur has much to do with taking these songs to a unique refreshing place. I saw JP in concert supporting this album accompanied by Jason Wilbur (electric guitar) and Dave Jacques (stand-up and electric bass). Taking nothing away from Dave, but Jason displayed some amazing chops - not fast, but different. Steel guitar licks, interesting double-stops, triple string bends, drew enthusiastic applause from the audience after many of his solos. I mention this because this kind of playing is all over the album as well.

Do yourself a favor and trust me on this one. It's a great album by anyone's standards."

Welcome Back, John

Graham Saint | Chicago | 01/08/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"John Prine hasn't done a lot of new material since "The Missing Years," and I was a little disappointed with "Lost Dogs & Mixed Blessings." But he's back on his game with this one! I got it as a Christmas present and I must have listened to it thirty times since then. From the opening measures of "Glory of True Love," which reminded me of "Souvenirs," I knew this one was classic John Prine."

Sublime Prine

Sam Stone | Baltimore, MD USA | 11/02/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Like all of Prine's work, this one takes time to sink in, but boy has it snuck up on me. It occurred to me this morning that it hasn't left my 5-disc CD changer (a Marantz CC4300 modified with OPA627 op amps - try it and you'll never leave the house :-) in weeks. So what is it about this album that finally got me?

Prine deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Dylan as one of our greatest songwriters. But unlike Dylan, who maintains some distance from his work, Prine's work is intimate and personal. He can move you to tears. His voice has gotten more rough-edged with the years and his treatment for neck cancer - but the gruff voice suits his work well. Compare "Souvenirs" to his debut album - to me, at least, Souvenirs is much more moving because it is delivered with perspective and experience. Well, the same goes for Fair and Square, which is not only delivered with perspective and experience, but written with it as well.

"Glory of True Love" is written by a man who has lost love enough times to know that it should be cherished when found. "Long Monday" and "My Darlin' Hometown" are full of loss and longing and perspective that can only come with age. And in case you're worried that time and illness had worn down his trademark sense of humor, "Crazy as a Loon" and "I Hate It When That Happens to Me" will put your mind at ease. He even includes a version of the Carter family staple "Bear Creek Blues" that has some real bite to it. And it's all wrapped in his most laid-back delivery yet, with the best-sounding backing since he played with Steve Goodman at his side.

Another masterwork from an underappreciated master."

You just can't win

G. Lewis | Funeralville | 08/27/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I can only laugh when I read some of these other reviews. As a performing artist, sometimes you just can't win. Many of the artists who are lucky enough to have been around as long as John Prine has, hear the old criticism over and over again, "I liked his older stuff better." Well, it seems many see this Prine release as simply "more of the same." So there it is - you change and you get criticized, or you don't, and you still get critized. I'm sure it doesn't mean much either way to Mr. Prine.

As far as I'm concerned, that's the greatest thing about John Prine - his newer music is just as good as his older music. I agree with others who have called him a genius. I've been a fan since the 1970's and he is one of the very few artists that I just never get tired of. How could anyone who likes his music become tired of him? Each new Cd is breath of fresh air and quite similar to his original efforts, all at the same time.

Thank God John Prine didn't come along any later than he did - he may not have been beautiful enough or mainstream enough for the present-day music industry. And we all would have been poorer for it. I cringe when I think about all the struggling artists out there who are turned down these days because they don't have the right look. It's a sad era for music.

But, to the point - Fair & Square is a gem, of course. Yes, it's a little more serious than some of his earlier efforts, but not entirely. But that's ok - "Happy Music" leaves me cold anyway. I like music that stirs up emotions and brain cells - and John Prine never fails to do that. If you're a John Prine fan, you will not be disappointed with this CD."