Search - Judy Henske :: She Sang California

Judy Henske

Jupiter IV | Los Angeles, CA | 10/27/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Judy Henske stands tall among the legendary folk-pop divas of the early Sixties. Her fame rests in part on her recording of Jimmy Cox's classic "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out," track 10 on the album "Dave Guard and the Whiskey Hill Singers" (1962), a fiery and defiant cri de coeur which rivals Bessie Smith in making that great lyric her own. Henske's long-awaited latest CD, "She Sang California," comes as a valuable gift to her loyal friends and fans. Her gutsy contralto voice has aged well, though by now it's also the voice of a woman who has seen it all and kept her sense of humor. There are tragicomic mood swings among these songs, and the listener who hears the whole CD in one sitting will have ridden an emotional roller coaster. But the ride is more than worth it. There are at least five masterpieces along the way: "Cocktail World," "Song About My Dog," "The Ballad of Seymour Cray," "Western Wisconsin" (a heartbreaker vastly improved in timing and musical arrangement since its first recording years ago), and what may be the most outrageous bar song of the twenty-first century: "Lowlife.""

Life, spiced with Variety

ssmithee | Redondo Beach, CA United States | 05/16/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Way too many CDs have a sort of sameness about them - if you don't listen closely while they're playing, you might later have the impression that the whole thing was one song, because everything on it sounded just like everything else on it. Judy Henske, I'm happy to say, never falls into that trap, and this new release is her tastiest box o' chocolates to date. It begins with the full-on boogie of "Big Fat Man" and then moves right into the blues wail of "Easy Rider." So what could follow a beginning like that? Why, the tub-thumping exhortations of "Ace in the Hole," wherein the secrets of success are shared ('always live with your parents, and never get a job'). And so on it goes, through the wry ironies of "Cocktail World" and "The Ballad of Seymour Cray" -- the latter, although it's nominally the tale of the inventor of the supercomputer, might also be considered a trademark-Henske murder ballad, as Seymour is ultimately done in by a drunk driver. Dang, I didn't set out here to describe each song -- they just sort of do that to you, and of course all these goings-on are the perfect showcase for That Voice, the one that makes perfect strangers sit bolt-upright and say "Oh my god, who IS that? I MUST HAVE THIS!!" It's the kind of CD you'll always be grabbing for when someone's visiting -- "Oh, wait, you've gotta hear this tune!" The only trouble is, it's not a good CD for socializing, because as soon as you put it on, all conversation ceases and if you say "Can I get you another glass of wine?" chances all all you'll get in return is a brusque "Shh!!" until the whole thing's been played through at least once. Yes, it's that good. Buy extras, as your guests will make you some startling offers for your copy."

Good to hear from Judy again

Hoosier Editor | Washington, D.C. | 04/27/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Judy Henske is like the brash girl I knew in high school. She smoked, told dirty jokes and went out with college guys. When I saw her at the 30th reunion, she was dressed up and gorgeous with a younger guy on her arm - and she still smoked and told dirty jokes. The songs on this wonderful CD are like hearing bawdy stories about what she has been doing for the past decades. She still hangs out with music royalty like Graham Nash, Lee Sklar, and Russ Kunkel, who all lend a hand. The songs are like good short stories that touch on her Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, roots (including an homage to CF native and supercomputer pioneer Seymour Cray) and her adopted California home. They are spare musically, but full of wit and charm.(One of even suggests that fat guys can get lucky.) They are the musical equivalent of the snicker you share with a friend when someone else doesn't get your joke. I can't wait to see if she will be touring soon. I want to hear what she has to say next."