Search - Sesame Street :: A Celebration of Me, Grover (Jewel Case)

The album of the new millenium!

fast_and_bulbous | 02/26/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

""A Celebration of Me, Grover!", what an apt title for this excellent album, it truly is a celebration in it's purest and most joyous form. It is so rare that a piece of music can so move and inspire me. After listening to it I was (and remain, to some extent) absolutely and completely blown away. Before I analyze the album, let me provide a bit of history and context for this release and artist. "A Celebration..." is a comeback album of sorts for Grover, who's last release was the critically acclaimed 1974 classic "Grover Sings the Blues"(which, by the way, is long overdue for a CD release). That legendary recording catapulted Grover to the top of the music industry. Robert Johnson is often credited for inventing the blues form as we know it, but Grover has the distinction of re-inventing it. "Sings the Blues" was a spectacular release on many levels, it contains many elements of psychedelic music, which was reportedly inspired by Grover's heavy use of LSD at the time, as well as his close friendship with Bob Dylan(who penned two tracks on that album). It should be noted, that the influence went both ways, as Grover provided major inspiration for Dylan on his 75 release "Blood on the Tracks", Grover also played lead guitar on that record. But, at it's core "Sings the Blues" was a record in the blues tradition, Grover's searing blues guitar and emotionally raw growl(a major influence on Tom Waits, whose new experimental leanings were inspired, by Grover, a bit of a mentor for the rocker) opened the door for countless later blues artists, such as Stevie Ray Vaughan. After the release and subsequent fanfare of his debut album Grover, in the tradition of JD Salinger, left the public eye at the height of his creative powers, and lived the life of a recluse at his Oregon ranch, only occasionally returning to television.



Then, for a long time, nothing of note happened in the music industry, Grover surfaced only once, to produce and pen a few songs on the highly influential 1978 album "At Home" by his longtime friends, Bert and Ernie. The album, though praised by critics was a commercial failure, due to it's overtly homosexual subject matter, and uncomprimising depiction of drug use and AIDs in the gay community. In subsequent years the album has gained it's rightful status as one of the finest records of the period, and a major inspiration on the punk and glam scene of the 80s.



Fast-foward to 2004, the music industry has become an over-commercialized version of it's former self. Vacuous pop and R&B albums top the charts, nothing of substantial artistic merit was even being considered by most musicians. Then, in early 2003 rumours began circulating regarding Grover's eagerly anticipated return to the music industry. Naysayers argued that times had changed, and Grover's new release would be dated and insubstantial. Well, as time has proved they were gravely mistaken.



"A Celebration of Me", a sprawling 2 disc concept album, that is, in effect, an autobiography of The Blue One, it encompases Grover's terrible childhood, suffering sexual and physical abuse at the hands of his sunday school teacher. His coming of age, and discovery of his own sexuality, his rise to fame, and his heroin addiction in the early 80s. This is a more mature Grover than the young upstart that recorded "Sings the Blues", this is a sombre and wise Grover, some of his youthful exuberance is gone, but it is replaced by sagelike wisdom of a man who's content with his place in the world. "A Celebration" is, as I've mentioned, a dark and harrowing album, but after listening to it the message is one of hope and redemption, of battling one's personal demons, and coming out on top. The explosive guitar work evident on "Sings the Blues" is much more restrained here, and Grover even gets behind the piano for a few tender ballads. In summation, this is simply one of the finest records ever produced, and will no doubt go down in history among "Revolver", "Blonde on Blonde", and "Exile on Main Street" as a true artistic statement and a powerful listening experience. Buy it, love it."