Customer Reviews

Dan Bern

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I first saw Dan Bern play at a local coffee house and was blown away. Despite his slightly annoying Dylan-wannabe voice, his lyrics were witty, funny, and insightful. The live show seemed to be very spontaneous, very Springsteen-esque, with stories and all. After the show, I was so enthralled with him that I bought this album then and there. Unfortunatly I was slightly disappointed. There are some artists who simply cannot convey their talent on a studio album, they must be seen live. Dan Bern seems to be one of these artists. Even though they are not AS good, they are still some excellent songs on this album. "Wasteland" is a look at the crumbling world around this middle aged man. He observes his friends who have abandoned their dreams, and a society of people obsessed with being the "in-crowd" and losing their sense of individuality. A very interesting song. Other highlights include "Jerusalem," which many consider to be his finest work, and "Marilyn," a hilarious look at Marilyn Monroe's life if she had married Henry Miller. I would recommend this album to fans of folk-ish rock, but I would recommend to EVERYONE that you see him live! I promise you, he won't disappoint.

He's funny, he's thoughtful, he's vibrant and pithy and... well, everything I could ever want out of an artist. When I heard the first minute of "Jerusalem," I knew I had to hear more. It was partially a gut reaction to the resonant chords he uses, I think, but then when I heard the words --- yeah. Wow. I love his colorful, expressive voice and ragged acoustic sound, which I think is particularly evident on the second track, "Go To Sleep," which I also love for its punchy rhythm and acute (but somehow amusing) commentary on our (over-)commercialized lives. "There's some tomatoes/ Chemically engineered/ They come out square/ To fit in boxes./ There's some people/ Chemically engineered/ They come out square/ To fit in boxes." Yeah - I think we all know a few "squares" in our lives...

The next song, "Wasteland," mourns the loss of one of his relationships, but it also focuses on the loss of our idealistic dreams and the sacrifice of our soul to the gods of practicality and "real life." The Amazon "official" editorial review says that the album "drags" on this track, but I fervently disagree. Yes, it's a long song. But I feel like it's a necessary break between the frenetic pace of "Go To Sleep" and "Marilyn." Besides, it's not exactly a dirge. It hits a universal chord with lines like, "And I watched as the best of my generation/ Abandoned their dreams/ And settled for making a little money." Plus, it's still kinda makes you laugh, or smirk - "But she kept driving / 'Cause everyone else kept driving / And cause gridlock is evil / And not knowin' your way is evil."

The rest of the CD is just as good - although I would say that the first half is more catchy than the last, but *all* of it is good. (And so are all of his other albums, if you're curious, although some might find that Ani DiFranco's production aesthetic on "Fifty Eggs" gets a little tiring after several listens. Personally, I think his other albums are more faithful to Dan's "sound" than "Fifty Eggs," and therefore, better, but I still got hooked on to Dan after hearing "Fifty Eggs," so that just tells you how much soul this guy has.) Dan Bern is amazing, and this, his first full-length album, reflects a good chunk of his ability.

This album is a wonderful mix of politics, humor, and philosophy that leaves you reeling. I Loved the dylan-esque style, and the ripping nature of the societal commentary. If you like acoustic punk, this is the way to go.

I saw him live for one of the first times i heard his music (the first time was in the car on the way to to show:) and i knew right away he was awesome! His first song was Tiger Woods, and the last song (by request) was Jerusalem. He had a great set. He has a knack for putting humour into his great lyrics. Lyrics, I might add, that actually mean something. Oh yeah, for those X-Files fans, his song No Missing Link was copied by the series premier of the X-Files...he should get royalties, or something:)

Dan Bern really has distinguished himself from all the rest with this album. His lyrics are totally random, yet somehow captivating. "Wasteland" is one of the best songs I have ever heard and this album is truly amazing. It is such a relief to hear something that you can't really fit into a category for once. Wow!!!

Was introduced to this via Dustin Edge of another fantastic band - Cast Iron Filter when he covered Dan's "Jerusalem." Loved the song then, and I love Dan's version too. There are a couple of slow points, but, overall, this is a really really great CD. In a city of 3,269,084 everyone is lonely. Perfect. Sure, "Wasteland" can get tiresome if you're more in the mood for a Jerusalem or Marilyn, but it's a fantastic song with poignant lyrics. I was never a big Dylan fan, and I'm not judging Dan with Dylan in mind. Highly recommend this CD to anyone who enjoys thoughtful music. And, of course, search out Dustin's most recent cover of Dan's "Jerusalem" from June 02, 2004. You can find it free on the web and get a taste of the fantastic songwriting on this album. Really hoping for a 2005 Dan Bern tour... I'll be there.

Dan Bern is The King of the World! Although he draws his influences from Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, Bruce Sprinsteen, Leonard Cohen, Tom Petty, and Van Morrison, he somehow manages to be completely fresh! How does he do it? Bern is the latest and greatest in the lyric-driven, modern-angst folk ballad tradition. And he's funny as hell. You owe it to yourself to give this CD a listen!

In my opinion, this is Dan Bern's best album. It is edgy and real, and once it's in your system it becomes addictive. The music is performed with a lot of passion and the lyrics are great. Bern brings a real punk-rock attitude to the songs -- this is not like your father's folk records. Surprisingly, it took me a few listens before I realized how brilliant this album was. After hearing it for the first time I thought it was interesting. By the third time I played it I really started getting into it, and after the fifth time listening to it I couldn't get enough. I don't often listen to the same CD several times in a row, but this one demanded it once it got its hooks in me. The songs are incredibly catchy, but the wry humor in the lyrics give this album much more depth than most other records. Yes, you can hear a distinct Bob Dylan influence, but why would that be a bad thing? It's great to have someone creating new folk music with enough piss and vinegar for our generation.

The others have really hit on the the greatness of this album. Probably Bern's best efforts to date.

I must admit, his politcal commentary is good and all - but it's the humor that keeps me coming back. On "Go to Sleep" he talks about the Throat singers of Tuva - and it cracks me up! (By the way, if you want to hear them check out the Kronos Quartet album "Night Prayers" - the opening track has them featured.)

Wasteland is just too great for words. And yes, this album has "that song about Marilyn Monroe" on it. It also has a great pop song - "I'm not the guy" which is a lot of fun.

What more can you say about an album that has the line "The day that Elvis died, it was a mercy killing!" on it!

This guy has a Dylan sound. This one is kind of a lo-fi production -- raw and energetic. If you like folk rock mixed with political speech, this guy is for you.