Customer Reviews

Alive on Arrival

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

No. But then again, nobody else has been either.

I saw Forbert in concert last week and decided it was time to revisit ALIVE ON ARRIVAL, one of the greatest debut albums ever recorded.

The songs are filled with pain, humor, optimism, truth. It has never failed to amaze me that someone so young (at the time) could write with such style.

This collection of songs, mostly dealing with the young Mississippian's foray into the seedier side of life in New York, is as good an album as anything in it's genre.

It is impossible to single out one or two songs as being any better than the others, as all are excellent. Perhaps "It Isn't Gonna Be That Way" proved to be prophetic. After Forbert's minor hit "Romeo's Tune," from his second album, Forbert became a faint memory to all but his die hard fans, a group of which I'm proud to be a member.

Steve Forbert has put out a lot of great music. It all started here.

Check it out. It's not too late to hear what you've been missing.

I am 66 years old and I can truthfully say that this Album is one of my all time favorites. I have gone thru 3 records and still continue to like it. I now have a CD player and want to order it as well as another of his CD's. My daughter took me to a small club in Houston,Tex.to see this young artist she was wild about. I can say that"He blew me away".His voice, and guitar playing are among the best I have heard and I am"Hard to please".Of all his albums,(and I want all of them now on CD),"Alive on Arrival" is my all time favorite. I am listening to it right now.Steve Forbert deserves more recognition that he has gotten!

When you think of all the classic debut albums: The Cars, Elvis Costello, Led Zepplin, Rickie Lee Jones, The Clash, Talking Heads, Stones, Dylan, Van Halen, Gomez, Pearl Jam, Cream, Velvet Underground, not to mention the BIG five, Elvis, Beatles, The Doors, Hendrix, and Sex Pistols, you start to see how a quote like 'The Greatest Debut Album Of All time' can be a little hard to live up too. Well, at the time of this release, Steve Forbert was saddled with a quote almost as daunting. 'The New Dylan'-tag had stopped many careers from ever taking off in the early to mid-70's and had almost derailed Springsteen's (another great debut album). Steve Forbert's appearance, voice quality, song-titles, lyrical twist and harmonica arrangements do remind one of Dylan, but such unfair comparisons not only kept people from enjoying this album on its own merits, but doomed Steve Forbert's career for not being the artist we wanted instead of letting us discover the artist he is. Simply put, this is a GREAT album. From the opening harmoncia blast of 'Going down to Laurel' to the fun of 'What kind of guy' to the heartbreak of 'It isn't going to be that way', Alive on Arrival introduces the world to an immensley talented young man. And that's all anyone could ask or expect from a CLASSIC debut album. When you think of how fresh, and intense and wonderful this album is, it's a shame that most people only know Steve Forbert from the hit single Romeo's Tune, (from his second album) or the Cyndi Lauper video, (Girl's Just Wanna Have Fun--he's the guy in the tux) or, worse yet, one of the many young singer/songwriters who didn't live up to the The New-Dylan tag. Truth is, Steve Forbert is still putting out wonderful albums, and I doubt if he would like to think that his first album was his best. Many artist spend thier whole careers trying to create a work of this quality. For Steve Forbert, it was just the begining. That's what he should be remembered for.

I saw Steve Forbert last night. This man has so much talent, so much energy, so much passion. And he was playing to a room of maybe 100 people in small club in the Chicago suburbs. It makes you cry when you think what could have and should have been. How did he not hit the big time?

Alive on Arrival is without doubt a wonderful album, and probably his best though it doesn't contain his "hit song".

The lyrics are funny and sad and have haunted me for years. The music is downright rocking.

This is a MUST-HAVE album.

Why is it that every folkinger with a harmonica and a voice like "fingernails on a blackboard" has to be touted as the next Bob Dylan ? Well, like any Monday morning quarterback, I can safely say, it wasn't gonna be that way for Steve Forbert.

"Alive on Arrival" is Steve Forbert's raw and edgy debut album. One can almost picture him standing on a subway platform late at night in New York City, banging out these songs, with his guitar case open for tips. If one listens carefully to the words,however, you can hear the beginnings of the unique story telling style, that would be Mr. Forbert's in the years to come. His songs can be deeply haunting, but there is also a humorous, beer joint, side to the music as well.

"It Isn't Going To Be That Way" is a folk anthem for all of us "baby boomers" who were raised and taught to believe that if you work hard, and are good, life will turn out just the way you want it to. Mr Forbert reminds us that life simply isn't fair. This song turned out to be true, for many artists with far less talent, have received more attention than Mr. Forbert. Strangely enough, one is kind of relieved, that it did not turn out that way for him. Steve Forbert took his own fork in the road, and became one of the great folksingers, with his very own tales to spin.

I was vaguely aware of Steve Forbert because of 'Romeo's Tune', a song I liked, but not enough to get curious about the artist. I stumbled on this CD by accident and decided I'd give it a try on the strength of his hit.

I'll admit I was underwhelmed the first time I heard it, but only because I wasn't giving it the attention it deserves. This CD is a gem! Infectious melodies, intelligent lyrics, and a wicked harmonica style that seems to be unique to Steve. As an aspiring harmonica player myself, I was blown away by his performance here.

While all the songs are first rate, standouts for me were 'It Isn't Gonna Be That Way' and 'Big City Cat'. He wrings so much emotion from these two, disillusionment, regret, budding cynicism and an irrepressible laughter, bloody but unbowed. If you're sick of what passes for music these days, if you're looking for a CD you'll still enjoy in 10 years time, then 'Alive On Arrival' is for you. Excellent effort, Mr Forbert! I'm sorry you never received the success you so richly deserved.

How many artists have been dubbed "the new Dylan," or "the underground Dylan?" Too many to count--so many, in fact, that it's become a somewhat meaningless moniker. The 60's are over; no one will be able to replicate the musical, social, and political phenomenon that was Bob Dylan, so what does it mean, realistically, when an artist like Steve Forbert gets called the next Dylan? On the one hand, it implies that he owes some debt of similarity to Dylan. On the other, it also implies that he's pretty good. Both of these things are true.

On the back of the liner notes Forbert is pictured with a guitar, jacket and harmonica neck rack--just like the young Dylan. Alive On Arrival is made up of some easygoing folk rock with Forbert's acoustic guitar complimented by harmonica and some electric ensemble work as well (though the overall sound is more like stripped-down Springsteen, another "next Dylan"). The music itself, IS good--Forbert sings with an earnest, truthful air that's immediately humble, likable, and accessible. Other than these few points, though, Forbert shouldn't be too forcibly tied down with Dylan comparisons.

On first listen, I was pretty surprised with Forbert's voice--he sounds pretty young, with kind of a raspy, boyish voice that really complements his straightforward melodies and lyrics. His songs are mostly about the tough life of a young struggling musician trying to make it in New York--through it all, Forbert deals with disappointment and tough times with an optimism and energy that's invigorating to listen to. Songs like the playful "Thinkin'" and "What Kinda Guy?" show that he's got a sense of humor, too. He's also got a pretty good band along, tastefully complementing his songs, especially on the album's rocking closer, "You Cannot Win If You Do Not Play."

All in all, Forbert's debut isn't revelatory or strikingly original, but it's well-crafted, honest, entertaining, and a pleasure to listen to. It's too bad he never gained much fame, because it would have been cool to see what he could do with his already impressive songwriting skills. I'm looking forward to checking out his equally-lauded second album Jackrabbit Slim. Recommended for fans of Dylan, folk-rock, Springsteen, etc., especially those who thought the 70's didn't produce any strong new singer-songwriters.

One thing this debut album had going for it was that it was released in 1978. If you can name one worthwhile musical highlight from that year, you're a better man than I. Just to give you some idea of how dreadful the year was, Steve Forbert wasn't able to score a single charting number from this fine disc, but Steve Martin scored a number 17 hit with 'King Tut'! Yeah, we were thinking straight in those days...

I discovered this album immediately upon its release due to a lip-smacking review posted by Rolling Stone magazine. When I first purchased it my friends got quite a laugh over the rather obvious Bob Dylan persona being spun with Forbert's image on the cover shots. Upon hearing the album the laughter died down however... not because Forbert was the next Dylan, but because the album was actually good. In fact, the first four songs are a rather stunning quartet, followed by a good, but soft center, and finishing up with a volcanic blast.

The disc opens with a great opening bass line (which deserves to be played up more than it is) propelling 'Going Down To Laurel', the second best song on the disc. The song is Forbert's answer to John Fogerty's 'Lodi', and he actually one-up's the CEO of CCR. A brisk harmonica plays up the Dylan angle, and the great lyrics about comin' home to your girl wraps a bright ribbon around this great package. What a song.

The next three songs are all acoustic numbers, and though they don't approach 'Going Down To Laurel', they each add another piece to the picture of who Steve Forbert is. 'Midsummer Night's Toast' has a melody that immediately highlights the 'I-like-it' sensitivity center in our brain. The rapid-fire lyrics offer toasts to "two-bit guarantees and other lies", "pretty women made for cash" and "roads of burning tar and hot cement", among other thought-provoking images. Forgive the comparison to Dylan, but it feels like a toned down 'Subterranean Homesick Blues'. 'Thinkin' is a loping presage against endless and empty rumination. 'What Kinda Guy' adds more insight into Forbert's personage, revealing a lightweight Dylan at best, one who "kept my jacket but lost my tie" and who is "here for lovin', but I ain't no slut". Whatever else this is, these first four songs are some of the tastiest nuggets in any musical box of chocolates.

The next four songs are all good, but lack the gusto of the opening salvo. 'It Isn't Gonna Be That Way' is a slow-down ballad, 'Big City Cat' is the brightest pop tune on the album, concluding with a horn solo, 'Grand Central Station' is a folk lament on the woes of a street singer, and 'Tonight I Feel So Far Away From Home', the weakest track on the disc, is as close as Forbert will ever get to the blues, about watching someone else breaking down.

Just when things appear to be dying out, we have 'Settle Down', initially posing as another subdued number, but blossoming with perhaps the most engaging chorus on the entire album. It's appearance is a welcome appetizer for the main course, the closer, 'You Cannot Win If You Do Not Play'. This rollicking, passionate, chest-thumping closer brings to bear the best instrumentation of the set, featuring pulsing and dynamic lines on electric guitar, bass, piano and drums. It's everything a closing number should be, just as 'Day In the Life' was the perfect finale for 'Sgt. Peppers'.

Steve Forbert's career plugged away after 'Alive On Arrival', but he never sounded as alive after his arrival. Despite his inability to build on his success, this debut album far surpasses much of the fodder that passes as a career for scores of other, perhaps more widely recognized musicians. It has a certain freshness and innocence that only a debut album, and a youthful performer can have. If you have a liking for music similar to Dylan's, and can tolerate it not having the same depth, you really should give this a try. It's not handsomely illustrated, but it doesn't need to be. It stands on its own.

My introduction to Steve Forbert was similar to that of fellow reviewer
'Steve (Skiing Somewhere)'.
In 1978, in Portland Oregon, I saw Steve Forbert play at a little hole in the wall called 'The Pidgeon Toad Orange Peel'. He wore skinny tight jeans tucked into the top of cowboy boots and was dressed all in black. His hair was very James Dean; his presence and demeanor reminiscent to that of Elvis.
Aside from his guitar he had a mouth harp slung around his neck. His 'band' consisted of a drummer on a very small kit. That was it.
And oh yeah...there were all of three people in the whole joint!!!
Even so, 'Little Stevie Forbert' came out in an explosion of energy and knocked it out for us like there was no tomorrow. His energy and dynamic performance were absolutely phenomenal.
At that time Dylan was about the only one around who played the mouth harp. That being said, we were absolutely amazed by this new guys sound and style. His performance was beyond words, and I remember afterwards wondering, "Why doesn't anybody know about this guy!?!?!"
My date (and subsequent husband of 29 years) left that night marveling that we'd just experienced our own private concert with this great entertainer & musician. For all the years since we've wondered why and how such a gifted, talented guy could remain so relatively unknown.

To me 'Alive on Arrival' and 'The Best of Steve Forbert - What Kinda Guy' epitomizes this yet to be fully appreciated American talent.
We still rank Steve's many contributions among our favorites.
He's quite a guy. (What kinda Guy?...Quite a guy!!)

This is another great debut and like the first Nils Lofgren album was never followed up with as good an effort. There's not a bit of filler in it and while it doesn't contain a "hit", the songwriting is strong throughout. Highlights include, "Goin' Down To Laurel", "What kinda Guy" and "It Isn't Gonna Be That Way". Although he's put out several solid cd's since, his career never took off the way this album promised it might.