Search - John Batdorf :: Home Again

Home Again: Every Song Is Worth It

Cassidy | 03/23/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is one of the best, most cohesive albums I've heard in a long time. The lyrics and melodies are equally strong, and I was pleased to see that it held up to the praise I'd heard. The acoustic introduction to "Home Again" is a wonderful beginning, and the clarity on John's vocal here is admirable. It makes the song believable. It's not often that one feels this way in life, and it's great to hear it expressed in song. My favorite line from "Home Again" is: "Now I'm sought instead of chasing."



"Me and You" is a nice nod to groups like Buffalo Springfield from the mid-'60s. I still can't get over how much John sounds like Graham Nash. I see a lot of CSN parallels in this album.



"I Don't Always Win" has incredible lyrics that keep a balance between honesty and hope. I think of those I know who have dealt with addiction, and in my opinion, John captured this feeling quite well.



The simple acoustic feel of "Ain't It Like Home" is something I don't hear very often anymore, and it's a brilliant vocal and a nice precursor to "Home Again" (even if the other was written first). "Ain't It Like Home" is still looking for home, and the latter has found it.



I absolutely love the lyrics to "Solitude". There are people who constantly miss chances, overwhelmed by stimuli and the demands placed upon them. And sometimes they have a lot of trouble escaping that mindset, even though they wish they could do something about it.



"I Never Wanted" is another one of my favorites. This is a theme often seen in life, but not usually expressed this well in song. There are more striking lyrics here: "I said I never wanted love / But love is the only thing I need."



For someone who didn't want to write an angry song, John and Michael McLean did a fantastic job. The guitar on the chorus of "Can't Be Trusted" especially stands out.



Another favorite of mine is "Something is Slipping Away". I'm fonder of earlier decades than my own, and there's another great lyric here: "And the greatest prize before our eyes / Is given to those who can take without having to give." It's ironic but true. This song has a wonderful melody, too.



"One Night Stands" is really a very clever lyric, and I have to agree with Michael McLean: this *is* the one that gets stuck in my head the most. I'd love to hear this live; I'll bet it draws a real crowd response.



"Where Are You Now?" reminds me a little of the Blue Jays' (Justin Hayward/John Lodge) "Who Are You Now" because they touch on the same theme. Since much of "Home Again" looks back at the past, it makes sense to close with this one.



What really struck me about this album is that I enjoy every single song on it. Not one is filler. I haven't heard all of John's music yet, but I'd have to say that this is my favorite so far.

"

Welcome Home

Jeanette A. Lundgren | Los Angeles, CA USA | 04/01/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A friend of mine said something once that I am borrowing here: If I only hear one voice for the rest of my life and it's Johns' voice, that's okay. Of course, I don't really wish that - not because I don't appreciate his voice but because I need to hear other voices and styles in order to come back to being able to listen to John, fresh, and appreciate him more every single time; from pronunciation or enunciation to that endearing quality of Johns' voice to how far he can bend and stretch his vocal range. I hear the person I know now in that voice and sometimes, I can hear the voice I've come to know was Johns' when he was part of Batdorf and Rodney back in the day. The one thing I can always count on from Johns' music is that it brings me back from wherever I've been and centers me and gives me hope and makes me breath easier and know that I can get through another day.



Musically, that raw talent that started with Batdorf and Rodney in the 1970s, grew and got trained by life, living, and many years of studio background performances as well as television composition. John is a perfectionist when it comes to his music but in being a perfectionist he also does not overwork. He knows when a composition is done and that in and of itself is a musical talent. When John started the project that became HOME AGAIN, he knew exactly what he wanted for each song ... he knew where every drumbeat would go, every shake of the tambourine, where mandolin notes would be dropped in -- all for the best effect. Some of us can hear songs we already know in the engines of a train or airplane but part of Johns' talent is that he can hear it way before it's even a song.



Altogether HOME AGAIN is a fine piece of work. In being Johns' first full length solo project it also showcases all those people he has had partnerships with down through the years. This is one of Johns' talents too. He brings out the best in everyone. It's one of the reasons I call him "Magnetic Gold" - he attracts the best of people to him and they stick around.



Here we all are, safe at harbor. HOME AGAIN. Welcome to it and pass it on."