Following his move from Los Angeles to Austin, Texas (and to the alternative country Lost Highway label), acerbic singer-songwriter David Baerwald's third solo album sounds like a fresh start. It's been nine years since... more » his previous release, but Baerwald's songwriting is as intelligent, edgy, and conceptually ambitious as ever. From the country harmonies and back-porch picking of "Why" through the brassy buoyancy of "Nothing's Gonna Bring Me Down," Baerwald tempers his smart-aleck tendencies with greater melodic warmth and lyrical clarity. Both "If (a Boy Whore in a Man's Jail)" and the unlisted bonus track "Little Fat Cowboy" evoke the influence of Randy Newman, while the lacerating "Love #29" and the funky underpinnings of "Bozo Weirdo Wacko Creep" suggest that the album's title is a tongue-in-cheek band name rather than a musical mission statement. Though Baerwald remains best known for his audacious debut as half of David & David on 1986's Boomtown and as a catalyst for Sheryl Crow's Tuesday Night Music Club, he's never made music that is richer or more consistently satisfying than this. --Don McLeese« less
Following his move from Los Angeles to Austin, Texas (and to the alternative country Lost Highway label), acerbic singer-songwriter David Baerwald's third solo album sounds like a fresh start. It's been nine years since his previous release, but Baerwald's songwriting is as intelligent, edgy, and conceptually ambitious as ever. From the country harmonies and back-porch picking of "Why" through the brassy buoyancy of "Nothing's Gonna Bring Me Down," Baerwald tempers his smart-aleck tendencies with greater melodic warmth and lyrical clarity. Both "If (a Boy Whore in a Man's Jail)" and the unlisted bonus track "Little Fat Cowboy" evoke the influence of Randy Newman, while the lacerating "Love #29" and the funky underpinnings of "Bozo Weirdo Wacko Creep" suggest that the album's title is a tongue-in-cheek band name rather than a musical mission statement. Though Baerwald remains best known for his audacious debut as half of David & David on 1986's Boomtown and as a catalyst for Sheryl Crow's Tuesday Night Music Club, he's never made music that is richer or more consistently satisfying than this. --Don McLeese
david baerwald | los angeles, ca United States | 09/09/2003
(2 out of 5 stars)
"In retrospect, I think I was trying to make a hat out of a pair of shoes, and should have left well enough alone with the material on "A Fine Mess". Though I'm as narcissistic as the next guy, I honestly can't really recommend this album. Better to track down a copy of "A Fine Mess", if you're interested. Or better yet, "A Love Supreme". Just my two cents.David Baerwald"
An excellent cd for those who appreciate songwriting
Hammer | Arizona Bay | 08/19/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"David Baerwald in one of todays most underrated songwriters. We all know what a masterpiece "Boomtown" was 16 years ago. Hell, it STILL is! Baerwald has covered a lot of ground since then. His first solo effort, "Bedtime Stories", was IMHO just as good as "Boomtown" but it didn't get the recognition it deserved. He follwed that up with "Triage"; a dramatic about face from his past two releases. Both "Bedtime Stories and "Triage" are now out of print but are definitely worth looking up on your favorite online auction site.Which brings me to "Here Comes the New Folk Underground". For this release Baerwald collaborates with Will Sexton (yep, Charlie's brother) for one of the years best albums. As with all of his other albums, this cd contains Baerwald's image laden lyrics. You can always "see" his songs as they pour from your speakers. Very few songwriters possess this ability. Yet it seems to come naturally to Baerwald. These songs are an emotional rollercoaster, happy and upbeat (Nothing's Gonna Bring Me Down), sad (Why) to introspective (If). This album has it all. If you're a fan of Baerwald's, you probably already have this cd. If you're new to his music and are sitting on the fence about buying this cd, don't worry. I guarantee once you hear "Compassion" or "Nothing's Gonna Bring Me Down" or "Wondering" you'll be humming them all day long. It's that good. Hell, they're ALL good!!Thanks "Destructo"!"
Great Effort
david baerwald | 07/18/2002
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Baerwald is surfacing after a nine-year solo effort hiatus with what is a major musical and philosophical statement for the neo-Austinite. The project title is a scream. The heart-tugging, bluegrass/rock-flavored "Why" and "The Crash" coalesce with the CD's best track ("Compassion") into a melting pot of scathing Randy Newman-influenced poetry ("If" and the hilarious bonus track "Little Fat Cowboy") and straight ahead Beatlesque rock ("Hellbound Train" and "Love #29.") Yet with all of the nodding, his influences don't overshadow the originality of his craft, a testament to his remarkable singing/songwriting ability. This progression of Baerwald's talent is a signpost of the inevitable: with his recent Golden-Globe-nominated, soaring "Come What May" (his masterpiece from the 'Moulin Rouge' soundtrack,) he now takes his place as one of America's foremost composers, and his formidable body of work (beginning with the 1986 wunderwork "Boomtown") demands study by craftsmen and cruising-with-the-top-down fans alike."
It's About Time!
david baerwald | 07/16/2002
(4 out of 5 stars)
"After basking in the caustic heaven of his last solo 'Triage,' composing the soundtrack for the satiric "Hurly Burly," becoming a father, and most recently, enjoying a Golden Globe nomination for his gorgeous, soaring "Come What May," (from the 'Moulin Rouge' soundtrack) Baerwald emerges with this long-awaited, worldly-wise project that is massive in ambition and musically addictive. The project's title, "Here Comes the New Folk Underground," asserts that Baerwald's ascerbic wit is still marvelously intact and wide-ranging: Randy-Newmanesque sarcasm is present in the hilarious "Little Fat Cowboy," and "Bozo Wierdo Wacko Creep," but "Why" is a heartbreaking tribute to comrade/collaborator Bill Bottrell's son and must be considered one of Baerwald's cathartic masterpieces. The absorbing lyrical detail and vocal stylings of "The Crash" harken to his gripping west coast 'David & David' efforts. The melodic arrangements here are just as ambitious--"Hellbound Train" rocks as hard as Bearwald did in the early 80's with David Ricketts, but "Compassion" and "The Crash" embrace softer, backporch sounds including banjo, mandolin and (perhaps most remarkably) Nashville/Austin session ace Redd Volkaert's masterful guitar work. Baerwald's remarkable ability to color ascerbic rock lyricism with bluegrass instrumentation and coalesce the product into believeable character vignettes has been honed to a harrowing edge here and is his most impressive feat to date. He is emerging as one of America(na)'s foremost singer/songwriters who can cut and sting ("If") or soothe ("Me and My Girl") at will. This newly relocated father is now officially a force to be reckoned with."
Back and stronger than ever
F. Freeman Carmack Jr. | Worthington, Ohio United States | 08/30/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I've been a fan of David Baerwald since the David/David, WELCOME TO THE BOOMTOWN LP came out in the mid 80s. I followed him through every phase of his career until I lost sight of him in the mid-90s. Last year I discovered his soundtrack work on 2 wonderful Sean Penn films with Jack Nicholson, and have been
overjoyed at his return; new label, new local, GREAT songs.
In several of the recent interviews he speaks of the folk-writing greats, trying to preserve dignity in the face of annihilation. With this album, David has added himself to the
list. My favorite songs, after the first listen, in running order; "Why","Nothing's Gonna Bring Me Down", "Wondering", "Hellbound Train".I'm sure that as I listen to the music more, there will be others.Welcome back, David.F.Carmack"