Search - Tom Russell :: Modern Art

TOM NEVER DISAPPOINTS...

BILL HERZOG | Borrego Springs, CA | 05/16/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Although not quite as dark and raw as his last effort Borderland, this may well be Tom's most accessable release to date. It's actually a great place to start for all you TR neophites and curious Nanci Griffith fans. I'll go as far as to put his tragic tale of the sea "Issac Lewis" up there with "El Gallo del Cielo" in terms of weaving that epic story as only Tom can do. My personal favorite is the touching and most likely autobiographical "The boy who cried wolf". A classic, this one really hits home. And be you a guitar fanatic or not, its certain that Tom's often underrated partner Andrew Hardin's amazing fretwork will give you goosebumps all throughout this album. I may be repeating myself, but this one's a keeper."

Don Imus, Book This Artist

John H. Taylor | 05/28/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A magnificent record by a great American writer and singer. At an LA show recently, Russell said he'd never written a sea song before. So he writes "Isaac Lewis," which is glorious -- one of the best folk songs (which is to say, best songs) of the last five years. You see a picture in living color the way the chords and tune move with these graceful lines: "So I kissed the lips of Emma Gray and set sail for Liverpool/And the parrots perched in the riggings, boys, and the dolphins swam in schools." If I may, Russell's got some father issues, and his best songs, such as "Isaac Lewis," plumb them beautifully. Speaking of heroes, "Modern Love" has tributes to Mickey Mantle and Muhammad Ali. The former, "The Kid From Spavinaw," digs deep and touches gold (those father issues again), but in the latter Russell pulls his punches, ironically enough. It's the only letdown on the record. It'd be weird if it were perfect, huh? Buy this, and give your father, grandfather, or uncle one on Father's Day."

Capturing a variety of Americana on MODERN ART

J. Carroll | Island Heights,NJ | 08/26/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"
Mickey Mantle sings of joy and regret as he remembers the simple life as a "Kid in Spavinaw," "Muhammad Ali" makes an appearance in all his brash confidence, and even poor Stephen Foster is present on this collection of story songs, where Russell shares with the listener a variety of lives, both real and imagined. Each little biography is a reflection on some aspect of life's trial, but many are confirmation that the struggle is worthwhile including the auto-biographical title cut. There are a few throwaways here; the Bukowski/Zevon blend makes me want more Zevon and less Bukowski, and one more version of "The Dutchman" doesn't really add anything to the mix. But the addition of Nanci Griffith on three cuts and the hilarious rockabilly of "Tijuana Bible," more than make up for any of the other shortcomings.

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