Freedy Johnston
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Freedy Johnston
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place of origin: Kinsley, Kansas. U.S.A. styles: sophisticated folkish country pop with shimmering guitars coupled with an observational lyrical outlook. records:
Trouble Tree (1990) Can You Fly? (1992)
Unlucky (1993)
This Perfect World (1994)
Never Home (1997)
Blue Days, Black Nights (1999) |
As far as I'm concerned there have been two outstanding solo male singer/songwriters to emerge from the 90's, one being Jeff Buckley, the other being none other than the renowed folk rock hero Freedy Johnston. Aside from their individuality and all around keen sense of arrangement and melody, the two are nearly opposites in every manner. Buckley was an explosive, impassioned performer, wailing of love lost and unquenchable inner fires, who blazed into explicit creative genius before audiences and ultimatly was consumed by this conflagration much akin to a Jimi Hendrix or a Jim Morrison. Johnston is a master of subtley, who's gently woven tapestries of breezy melodies and guitar jangle cloaks an entrancingly dark lyrical content, relaying tales of hopeless wanderers and innocence lost through his inviting, placid vocals. And unlike Buckley, Johnston will no doubt be around to tell tale after tale to those fortunate enough to stop by the wayside and lend him a thoughtful ear. Freedy Johnston has no doubt proven to be a songwriter of massive importance, having already wielded an obvous influence in a world of coming and going neo-folk guitar-strummers. No one can command a mood with the dual comfort and pain in the way of Freedy Johnston, and no one else can make the word "whore" sound elegant as can he. Freedy Johnston is an invaluable asset to the music world's past ten years and an obvious innovator of the future. Born in the isolated small town of Kinsley, Kansas, Freedy Johnston grew up on his family's farm, in an enviroment of solitude and contemplation coupled with the frequency of encounters with passing travelers that no doubt helped to mold his unique lyrical outlook. Although at the age of sixteen he had to acquire his first guitar through mailorder (because there were no guitar retailers in his are), the young Jonston managed to nurture a love for Bob Dylan and Lyle Lovett. He began attending university in Lawrence, where his first songs began to emerge. By 1985, inspired by R.E.M. and 10,000 Maniacs, he'd chosen to focus entirely on music and headed for New York. He eventually found himself on the hip indie label Bar/None. Johnston's first three indie records, Trouble Tree (1990), Can You Fly? (1992) and Unlucky (1993) showcased his burgeoning country folk pop styles. As American as his music was, he founnd his greatest audience in Europe, particularly The Netherlands where he was all but a household name. 1994 saw him departing the indie world to embrace major label Elektra, from where he unleashed his masterpiece, This Perfect World (1994, Elektra). Produced by Butch Vig, the record's brilliance stemmed more from the fact that Johnston was writing his greatest tunes to date, including the alternative hit "Bad Reputation". The presence of an all-star cast of musicians, including Joe Jackson bassist Graham Maby, Marshall Crenshaw on guitar, The Blood Oranges' Mark Spencer, renowed backing vocalist Mary Gaines and Jane Scarpantoni, cellist for Luka Bloom and Nirvana, didn't hurt either. Subsequent albums, Never Home (1997) and Blue Days, Black Nights (1999) continue to develop Johnston's elegant country folk feel, ever inching closer to the more folkish tones and no doubt rank as some of the finest, most honest and skillfull music the 90's have to offer. In short, as the dust of the 90's is settling, Freedy Johnston has proven to be a figure who trully matters.
solomn and ever present (the noble Freedy Johnston) |
