Burning the Daze

Marc Cohn

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 17, 1998)
• Original Release Date: March 17, 1998
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Atlantic / Wea
• ASIN: B0000062RL
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #30,203 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Sidelined by a divorce and single fatherhood, Marc Cohn returns to active duty rejuvenated, if recognizably scarred, since the marginal disappointment of his sophomore outing. Burning the Daze strikes closer to the high mark set by his '91 debut, his sultry vocals and well-crafted songs attesting to the set's careful gestation. Guitarist John Leventhal, a not-quite-secret weapon on the prior albums, is officially aboard as coproducer, an apt choice given his contributions to other recent singer-songwriters' studio work, bringing his versatility and musicianship to bear on a solid new clutch of Cohn originals. "Already Home" opens the set with a sleek midtempo groove, Memphis-cured horn riffs, and allusions to Homer and the Wizard of Oz, "Saints Preserve Us" successfully cops from the Band, and "Lost You In The Canyon" transforms a cell phone into an effective metaphor for more primal communication problems. --Sam Surtherland

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Didn't understand before, now I do., May 16, 2000

By	"jamminn" (Cleveland, Ohio) - See all my reviews

I've been a Marc Cohn fan since the first time I heard his first album. The second album, I liked just as much especially 'Paper Walls' which reminds me of '29 Ways'. The first time I heard 'Burning Daze' I didn't understand the songs and why it sounded so .... sad. I'm now currently going through the divorce of my first (and only?) marriage and can now see a new side to the music. He deftly tells of his pains and hurts without bashing the woman he loved. I find that this sends a strong message about the man and his vast talents. I recommend this CD to any Marc Cohn fan, but listen to it with a little thought and a lot of heart.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "It took a while to find my way back to something true..", July 1, 2002

By	spiral_mind (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

Seven years on from from "Walking in Memphis" Marc has firmly established himself in the true-roots musician camp with Leonard Cohen, Leo Kottke and Tom Waits; he shares their same melancholy sound, soulful songcrafting, and smoky singing as well as their tendency (for the most part) to take five years between albums. Fortunately for us, Marc's works are strong and consistent enough to last through the wait until the next one (if the constant dose of manic depression doesn't get to be too much first). Burning the Daze, while unquestionably his saddest release to date, shows a growth in writing and performing that his self-titled debut only hinted at. If it seems like I'm glossing over his second album The Rainy Season as a lesser release than the others.. well, that's more or less what it is. But I digress.

Marc's sound is an easy blend of pop, jazz and Memphis soul, married to a rich unmistakable voice and poetry that could move the soul even without the music. "Already Home" sets the tone right from the start with its gliding horn groove; it's one soft mood after another from there on out. Some influences may come out stronger at some times than others - I hear traces of the Band in "Saints Preserve Us," a lot of Nick Drake in "Girl of Mysterious Sorrow," a touch of Clapton through "Lost You in the Canyon" - but Marc's overall sound is all his own. It always seems that he gets a little too sappy for my taste at times, which is why I normally stop the disc before the Nilsson cover "Turn On Your Radio" and the ill-fitting "Ellis Island." (The whole thing is personal and universal; why take a sideways leap into someone else's story with the last track? Nevermind.) If you've got a taste for Southern blues and like a good sad tune when the mood hits, Burning the Daze deserves a spot on your shelf - though not at the expense of Marc's self-titled disc. This is more moody, more melancholy, but ultimately more touching.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Right Up There, March 29, 2003

By	Russell Diederich (Littleton, CO United States) - See all my reviews

This is the latest release from Marc Cohn, and "Burning the Daze" ranks right up there with his other albums. Cohn proves again that he's a triple-threat with his lyricism, vocal, and musical talents. His voice hasn't lost any qualities since his previous release, and the music is good. There seems to be more pain in both his voice and lyrics than in the past.

The album opens with "Already Home", another great opener that'll catch your interest like "The Rainy Season" or "Walking In Memphis". He mixes guitar, horns and his voice so very well on this track, and it sets the tone for the album. He adds a slightly overdriven guitar for "Lost You In the Canyon" for a little harder sound. "Olana" focuses on Cohn's melodic voice, and the many layers of this song sound so simple under Cohn's magic. He picks up the pace again for "Valley of the Kings", giving it just a touch of Arabian flare, and giving his voice a workout. One of the best songs off this album is "Turn On Your Radio", a soft bluesy feel. The lyrics just flow right, like all of Cohn's songs, making this a powerful song.

Cohn's musical ability is simply amazing. If you liked the first two albums he did, then don't hesitate to get this one. It's a little different, slightly heavier in meaning, but great music all the same.