Search - Dr John :: Television

Solid effort by a one-of-a-kind artist

elvistcob@lvcm.com | Las Vegas, NV | 12/05/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Occasionally you get to see an artist who's so far "out there" that they're a delight to watch. Someone who seems to really be doing their own thing, record company constraints be damned. Tom Waits is a good example. Dr. John is another.On the other hand, he's not that far out there when situated in his stomping grounds of New Orleans. The people down there live and breathe music, and it's not unusual to see someone singing in the middle of the street just because they feel like it. While sometimes the more outrageous the better, New Orleans music, just like it's cooking, does combine a lot of styles to produce what they do. Jazz, funk, blues, country and rock and roll all go into the great gumbo pot to produce their sound. While the Neville Brothers get the most publicity, and they certainly earn it, Dr. John is also one of their top ambassadors. I've listened to several of his albums, where sometimes he shines, and sometimes there are a few clunkers. I found very few clunkers on this one. It's a good example of some original tunes, plus some covers, all done with him in control vocally and at the piano. There is no standout tune, just a nice continuity to the whole work. This one can be listened to either seriously or as background music, and both directions proved satisfying to me."

Could Be Better

David L Hutchins | Mesa, AZ | 01/23/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This album is my first exposure to Dr. John. This is not really my type of music. Someone gave me the album. That being said, it's not too bad of album. There is plenty of other trash out there that isn't half this good. The title song "Television" is very listenable and has a nice beat. "Shut D Fonk Up" repeats a lot and seems kind of stupid. "Thank You (Falletin Me Be Mice Elf Again)" has a cutsy, clever title, but that doesn't help the song, which is just an okay song. It repeats a lot too, as does Spaceship Relationship. My feeling in listening to the album was that the "doctor" has a good and unique voice, a good sound and good backup band. It just seemed like he is capable of a lot better. Perhaps this is just a poor selection of songs. Some of the songs seem to be "talked" or "chanted" rather than sung. That might be your thing; it's not mine. Nothing really excited or moved me on this album. I guess that when an artist makes a number of albums, some are going to be hits and some are misses. This might be a near "miss" for Dr. John. I would like to hear some of his other stuff, as he seems to have a distintive sound that is not like everyone else out there. This is not an album that I would listen to often, but a is nice change of pace. My guess is that the good doctor is not trying to be like someone else, but just sings it the way he feels it and the way he wants to. If you are a hardcore Dr. John fan or looking for something a little different, buy it. Otherwise, I would pass on this one."