[.ca] Evergreen Boy

From Amazon.com:
With his taffy voice, lissome melodies, lyrical wisdom, and lively wordplay, Steve Forbert has never sounded more candid and confident than on his ninth studio album. As if soaking up all the Memphis vibes of the legendary Ardent studios where it was recorded, Evergreen Boy is also the most sonically satisfying record of his career. Jim Dickinson (who produced Big Star's classic Sister Lovers and played on landmark albums by Aretha Franklin and the Rolling Stones) reconciles Forbert's rock and folk sensibilities while introducing a knock-out dose of deep soul with sanctified organ lines and understated horn charts. Lyrically, Forbert continues to combine melancholy restlessness with a sure faith in human character. "I went down through a dark ordeal," Forbert broods, only to feel "a breeze from the springtime heather / And as it breathed on me / I could feel how my heart could heal." Like John Prine and Greg Brown, Forbert remains a great comic voice, not because he's clever, but through finding a fresher joy by never shrinking from heartache and doubt. --Roy Kasten

enduring:
...oops, brainlock in my previous review. I meant to list Evergreen Boy on a par with The American In Me, Streets of This Town, Jackrabbit Slim and Alive on Arrival, not the self-titled record which I consider to be his least listenable.

a seamless album:
I managed to buy this Cd on it's first day of UK release and how pleased I am. It's a great record-in my opinion his most consistent since American in Me. Each track seems to segue beautifully into the next and some of the songs are absolute classics-Rosemarie,Late Winter Song just two of many.If you buy Evergreen Boy I'm sure you will not be disappointed!

Marching To The Beat of His Own Drum:
Hello out there in cyberspace. One expects a review of this new CD by Steve Forbert to be read mostly by his fans, so I suppose I am "preaching to the choir". This new collection of songs are infused with lots of the wisdom, weariness, and observations of the irony found in everyday life, typical of Mr. Forbert. Noticeably absent are the Steve Fobert tunes that cook. Instead these tunes simmer.Some of the words get blurred in the background. The songs come from the heart, and they gently bemoan the spiritual dearth in America. "The kind of car you drive, won't keep your love alive" laments Mr. Forbert in one song. Hello out there in cyberspace....if you have not heard of Steve Forbert, and are not really aware of his stuff, you owe it to yourself to discover one of America's best modern story telling/ song writers. This CD is a great place to start !

His Best Work In Years:
Being mildly disappointed with the last few Forbert releases I was somewhat apprehensive about his latest outing. There were moments of brilliance in the last few years-- "It Is What It Is" and "Trouble With Angels"among others... but the rest of his recordings were sometimes overproduced and not always strong from start to finish. Having said that "Evergreen Boy" is Forberts best work in years...maybe ever. Although the production is simple, the stories and feeling incorporated in them are not. From the opening track the recording demands your attention and keeps it on your journey through the 13 songs. "Strange," a song about best friends seperated by their own stubborness is my personal favorite. The CD flows wonderfully and is one of those rare recordings that doesn't get tiring. As mentioned below Forbert is now an artist years removed from radio..and its a shame. His style and lyrics include an honesty and feeling rarely found these days.

A Quality Release, but Too One Dimensional:
Evergreen Boy is yet another quality release from America's most talented, yet overlooked, folk-country-rock artist of the past twenty years. The combination of songwriting, guitar playing, harmonica, and vocals is truly extraordinary. I would encourage anyone interested in the folk-rock genre to give Steve Forbert a listen, and Evergreen Boy is as good a place to start as anywhere (although I highly recommend The American in Me, Streets of this Town, and Rocking Horse Head). With that said, I do have some minor criticisms of Evergreen Boy. First, while several cuts are as good as anything he has done ("Something's Got a Hold on Me," "Strange," "Rose Marie"), others grow tiresome with play ("Winter Song," "Breaking Through," "Trusting Old Soul"), and the song "It Doesn't Matter Much," while catchy, is a bit trite. Second, in contrast to Forbert's previous releases, I find Evergreen Boy a bit too subdued (melancholy?) for my taste. Perhaps like the calming effect of a good brandy on occasion, but too uniform nonetheless. What I have enjoyed most about Forbert's past releases is the mixture of insightful songs of introspection with "lightning-in-his-bones" rock n' roll. Evergreen Boy delivers on the former, but is devoid of the latter. Perhaps Forbert is simply in a subdued mood these days. Finally, I CAN BARELY HEAR FORBERT'S ACOUSTIC GUITAR OVER THE POUNDING DRUMS & BASS!! All in all, a quality release, if not a bit one dimensional.

• something's got a hold on me
• she's living in a dream world
• strange
• evergreen boy
• rose marie
• now you come back
• your own hero
• late winter song
• breaking through
• it doesn't matter much
• listen to the mockingbird