Customer Reviews

Is the Actor Happy

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Not only is this Vic's best work, but it is one of my all time favorite CD's. His music, particularly his gut-wrenching vocals, is so emotionally evocative and beautiful. In addition, the minimalist arrangements and sharp-edged lyrics further enhance the tunes' delivery. Is The Actor Happy? doesn't have a bad song on the album. I particularly enjoy "Strange Language" on which Vic and his band sound HUGE! I also have to emphasize just how amazing Jimmy Davidson, Alex McManus, and Tina Chesnutt sound on each track; check 'em out on "About to Choke" too, my next favorite Vic album. "Onion Soup" and "Gravity..." are similarly great. A number of songs seem to lean towards sadder, darker themes (e.g., "Wrong Piano", "Free of Hope"), though they are not without they're own tongue-in-cheek optimism. For me, the centerpiece of the album is his duet with Michael Stipe on "Guilty by Association", which hints at Vic's transition from local Athens, GA favorite to critically acclaimed artist. All in all, truly a masterpiece. Note: the addition of several tracks that were not on the original release (Assist through the end of the disc) is cool, but for me the meat of the album will always remain "Gravity of the Situation" through "Guilty by Association".

I bought this disc having never heard of Vic Chestnutt but saw it was similar to other music I have and it has receive great reviews and critical acclaim. Boy, I'm I happy. Then more you listen, the more tasty lyrical tidbits and turns of phrase you will discover. Brilliant stuff. Brilliantly recorded. I only wish it was available in SACD or DVD-A. Will definitely buy more of his work.

"Well we blew past the army motorcade/ with its abnormal load haulage/ the gravity of the situtaion/ came on us like a bit of new knowledge." With this opens Vic Chesnutt's 4th album, which still stands as his most accessible, and one of his best. Gravity of the Situation, filled with apparent non-sequitors that, examined more carefully, are actually hiliously unsettling miniture portraits of, I guess, a tour of England, is one of Chesnutt's greatest songs. This is followed by the wonderful "Sad Peter Pan," where Chesnutt confesses to wanting to be Aaron Neville, and so, each song has a jewel of a line or stanza, all over a deliciously played blend of country, folk, and rock. Chesnutt is the master of the miniture, and captures "I'll go get the latest Ladies Home Journal (he he he)/ I need some of those sinister, little recipies." A few songs, notably "Free of Hope," are a little too loud; loud just isn't Chesnutt's stength, as evidenced on the well-written, but slightly bombastically played "About to Choke." The expanded album contains bonus tracks such as the fabulous "Parameters," and "Duck in a Tree," a ragged live song that sounds like early Lambchop, with whom Chesnutt would combine to make 1998's The Salesman and Bernadette. There are albums of his which I probably prefer, including Salesman, and maybe Silver Lake, but this is a great place to start in the works of one of the greatest living songwriters.

This is the perfect introductory record to the Vic Chesnutt catalog. The songs Gravity of the Situation, Onion Soup, Wrong Piano, and Betty Lonely rank among his finest. Do yourself a favor by listening to this album from America's most important and relevant songwriter. If you dig it, follow up with West of Rome, The Salesman and Bernadette, and Left To His Own Devices. Basically just get his entire body of work. That is an order!

This album, and indeed the great majority of Mr. Chesnutt's work, abounds with achingly honest lyrics and deceptively simple melodies that actually betray the complexity of the singer and his songs. I had the opportunity to see Mr. Chesnutt in concert--powerful. This album will be most appreciated by those who like Tom Waits' quiter pieces off "Alice," like "Flower's Grave" or "Lost in the Harbor." Two of the great songs off this album: "Assist" and "Sad Peter Pan."

Vic Chesnutt is one of my favorite singers/songwriters of all time. I'm sad that he is no longer with us. Anyways, Vic had such a distinctive, honest voice that when you hear his songs, you know it's Vic. You feel both happy and sad when you listen to his songs. Vic was a gifted songwriter and artist, and his lyrics really touched my soul. When I listen to his music, I can feel his honest pain in a lot of his albums. Vic suffered from chronic pain due to a car accident at age 18. I can relate to Vic because I suffered chronic pain starting at the age of 19 from a routine surgery gone horrible by a bad surgeon - believe me, he was a bad surgeon because many people have come out of the woodwork to tell me the things he has done to them. Even a dental instructor from a nearby college told me that she wished she knew me at age 19 so that she would've warned me to not go to this doctor for wisdom tooth surgery. Nonetheless - I really relate to Vic's struggles in life. My favorite songs from this album are: "Gravity of the Situation", "Sad Peter Pan", "Strange Language", "Free of Hope", "Guilty by Association", and "Thailand". I'm Thai American, and I thank Vic for writing the catchy "Thailand" song. Anyways, it's amazing that this man churned out so many great albums and songs while in a lot of chronic pain from his health problems. I'm really grateful for Vic Chesnutt's music. He was one of a kind, and I'm really glad he existed on this Earth. RIP, Vic. Your music will always live on.

This guy is great! He deserves a crown. Noone else like him- lyrics are a joy and inspiration.

The line above (from "Doubting Woman") might be the best lyric ever written, or the worst. Or both. If you like it you might like Vic Chesnett, if not steer clear. I find a lot of great stuff on this CD: "Gravity of the Situation" is a brilliant song, and "Thailand" is an example of one where he breaks through the folk singer-songwriter groove and tries a little more sonic noise. I wish that Chesnutt wouldn't write all his songs with the same langorous, downbeat rhythm. A little variation would make it a better CD. But there's no question that the guy knows how to write lyrics.

The line above (from "Doubting Woman") might be the best lyric ever written, or the worst. Or both. If you like it you might like Vic Chesnett, if not steer clear. I find a lot of great stuff on this CD: "Gravity of the Situation" is a brilliant song, and "Thailand" is an example of one where he breaks through the folk singer-songwriter groove and tries a little more sonic noise. I wish that Chesnutt wouldn't write all his songs with the same langorous, downbeat rhythm. A little variation would make it a better CD. But there's no question that the guy knows how to write lyrics.

The line above (from "Doubting Woman") might be the best lyric ever written, or the worst. Or both. If you like it you might like Vic Chesnett, if not steer clear. I find a lot of great stuff on this CD: "Gravity of the Situation" is a brilliant song, and "Thailand" is an example of one where he breaks through the folk singer-songwriter groove and tries a little more sonic noise. I wish that Chesnutt wouldn't write all his songs with the same langorous, downbeat rhythm. A little variation would make it a better CD. But there's no question that the guy knows how to write lyrics.