Search - John Hoskinson :: Miscellaneous

Beautifully conceived from start to finish

Anna C. Borg | los angeles, CA | 10/13/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Miscellaneous Heathen" plays like a series of short stories, rather than a standard pop album. It's a great record for both road trips and sitting at home reading about architecture. John has one of my favorite voices in pop right now, with an effortless display of range and emotion. My favorite song on the record is "She Still Plays Around" but there really isn't a single weak track. Recommended if you are a fan of Neil Finn, Squeeze, Jon Brion, Candy Butchers, etc."

Smart Pop for Now People

bdlove@earthlink.net | Los Angeles, California | 12/05/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a terrific CD, hands down one of my favorites ever, and I own thousands. I'm purchasing extra copies for family and friends. I met John in a car wash in LA, and we struck up a conversation. Little did I know, I was meeting one of the greatest singer/songwriters, ever. He is also a most gracious, humble man. (Big egos, I'm learning, are an indicator of tiny talent.) John puts his energy into his wonderful work, not into any LA 'tude, and we are all graced by his generosity of spirit and superb songcraft.



You may make a connection with Crowded House/Finn Brothers, but that is, as other reviewers note, superficial. John mines deeper. He writes classic power pop songs, with highly literate--and never ponderous--lyrics. The melodies are hauntingly beautiful. I feel that his natural predecessor is more George Harrison, without the Indian influence of the later work, with a dose of McCartney's bright voicings. But comparisons are for the uninitiated, just a handle to pull you inside. Once you get this disk, you'll discover a world that is as timely as it is timeless, wholly its own. Yeah. It really is that good. Sure wish we could assign six stars. Seven?



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This album might get you laid!

C. Barnes | North Hollywood, Ca United States | 10/04/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you like chicks/dudes who favor clever lyrics, solid production values, catchy tunes and moods that range from wistful to witty then this album will definitely endear you to them.



Hoskinson is a skillful writer and musician. His voice and style are often compared to The Finn Bros./Crowded House but those comparisons are merely superficial. Hoskinson's universe is a realm populated with characters whose pains might be unique but definitely relatable. Leaving behind the pop convention of mere abstract, over-wrought ruminations about love, Hoskinson, instead, writes gripping stories set to music.



Some highlights include the left-handed love letter, "I Hope I Die Before You Do", an ironic take on soul mates and eternal love. The haunting and lilting "It's Not My Place" reeks of heartbreak. And, "She Still Plays Around" chronicles the eternal dilemma of being the wrong person, in the wrong place at the wrong time.



If you were to pop this CD into your Discman and listen from start to finish you would swear this were a major label release. To accomplish this Hoskinson has assembled some of the finest musicians hovering just below Spin Magazine's radar to help out. Noteably, guitarist Eugene Edwards, provides tasty guitar licks that perfectly counterpoint Hoskinson's sometimes bittersweet, occasionally tart atmospheres.



This is easily one of the top 5 albums I've purchased in the last year. I've even bought extra copies to pass around to friends. Yes, that's right, BOUGHT! Not ripped & burned. I'm like that sometimes."