Customer Reviews

Fair & Square

5 star:		(76)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I notice the two negative reviews I've seen here are both upset because of JP's anti-Bush stuff on "Some Humans Ain't Human." Specifically, he says "...some cowboy from Texas, starts his own war in Iraq..."

Oh....please. This is a guy who's been anti-war, anti-establishment and anti-a-whole-lot-of-other-stuff since he's been writing music. Maybe you'll recall "Your Flag Decal Won't Get You into Heaven Anymore," from his first album, or "Take the Star Out of the Window," from his second album. There's a lot of them. Either you haven't been listening, or you've just got your head so far up Bush's (...) that you're unable to hear any honest criticism without throwing the baby (an outstanding album) out with the bathwater (your political views). This is still America, more or less, and the guy has every right to say what he feels.

I've been a big Prine fan since the mid 70s, and used to go see him live with Steve Goodman back in the day. For my money, this is one of his best albums. His voice has aged (go figure), but not in any way that detracts, for me. His soul shines though on these tunes, and a few of them are really just beautiful.

I'm so happy he seems to be on the other side of his throat cancer, and is still on stages, grinning.

It's been a number of long years but well worth the wait. Who writes better songs? A great record in its own right and a fine introduction to those essential themes Prine has been working with since the 1970's. John's unique love songs: "Glory of True Love," "Long Monday," and "She is My Everything." His home and homesick songs: "My Darlin' Hometown" and a great cover of Blaze Foley's "Clay Pigeons." John's satirical eye and social conscience: "Some Humans Ain't Human" and "Crazy as a Loon." The relationship troubles we can all laugh at and identify with: "Taking a Walk," the bluesy "Morning Train," "The Moon is Down," "I Hate it when that Happens to Me," A.P. Carter's "Bear Creek Blues," and "Other Side of Town." John's sense of humor is as sharp and wonderful as ever and appears throughout. He has the most recognizable song writing voice-even when co-writing (which he does on seven of the songs here). There are two numbers with John's trademark talking/singing and a live number recorded at the Ryman Auditorium. If all this weren't enough, there are other great voices in addition to John's deep and gravelly one:: Mindy Smith and Alison Krauss doing harmony, Phil Parlapiano's ever present accordion, a great chorus on "Taking a Walk," a "call and response" group on "Safety Joe," many wonderful acoustic and electric guitar players, and a host of fine instrumentalists.

AND SHE LOOKED ME IN THE FACE
LIKE SHE NEVER DID BEFORE
I FELT ABOUT AS WELCOME
AS A WAL-MART SUPERSTORE (from "Taking a Walk")

SOME HUMANS AIN'T HUMAN
SOME PEOPLE AIN'T KIND
YOU OPEN UP THEIR HEART
AND HERE'S WHAT YOU'LL FIND
A FEW FROZEN PIZZAS
SOME ICE CUBES WITH HAIR
A BROKEN POPSICLE
YOU DON'T WANT TO GO THERE...

OR YOU'RE FEELING YOUR FREEDOM
AND THE WORLD'S OFF YOUR BACK
SOME COWBOY FROM TEXAS
STARTS HIS OWN WAR IN IRAQ (from "Some Humans Ain't Human")

CONSTANTINOPLE IS A MIGHTY LONG WORD
GOT THREE MORE LETTERS THAN MOCKINGBIRD
YOU PUT ME ON A MORNING TRAIN
YOU PUT ME ON A MORNING TRAIN
AIN'T NO NEED TO EXPLAIN
YOU PUT ME ON A MORNING TRAIN (from "Morning Train")

SHE KNOWS EVERYBODY
FROM MUHAMMAD ALI TO TEACHING BRUCE LEE HOW TO DO KARATE
SHE CAN LEAD A PARADE WHILE PUTTING ON HER SHADES IN HER MASARATI
SHE KNOWS EVERYBODY (from "She is My Everything")

WELL I ONCE KNEW A MAN WHO WAS GOING INSANE
HE LET LOVE CHASE HIM RIGHT UP A TREE
IT TOOK THE POLICE AND FIRE TRUCK JUST TO BRING HIM BACK DOWN
I HATE IT WHEN THAT HAPPENS TO ME (from "I Hate it When That Happens to Me")

A CLOWN PUTS HIS MAKE-UP ON UPSIDE DOWN
SO HE WEARS A SMILE EVEN WHEN HE WEARS A FROWN
YOU MIGHT THINK I'M HERE WHEN YOU PUT ME DOWN
BUT ACTUALLY I'M ON THE OTHER SIDE OF TOWN (from "Other Side of Town")

Prine fans will recognize the Prine voice in the above excerpts. Newcomers should "loosen up the buckle on your heart and start to chuckle" (from "Safety Joe").

...I'd fall in love with "Fair & Square" anyway. But I've been a John Prine fan for years, and I think this may be his best since his 1st album over 30 years ago. That's saying alot because Mr. Prine's 1st album is one of my favorites of any style in all of time. I grew up as a rock/funk/jazz fan and never cared much for country or folk music (Merle Haggard & Johnny Cash being 2 of a small handful of exceptions).
It would be redundant to repeat all the other reviews describing the songs, so here's why I like "Fair & Square" so much: aside from having all the elements that make John unique (wry wit, lyrics that make you think, etc.), his voice gives these tunes a dark, sentimental - even innocent charm. It would be tough for anyone else to give the same songs the same flavor. Also the melodies are refreshingly simple, as are the instrumental arrangements. "The Glory of True Love" bounces along with a friendly vibe, then out of nowhere, the mandolin takes a dark minor scale solo and the guitar lurches out with the rockabilly blues, then right back to happy again. But ain't love just like that? Therein lies the subtle genius of Prine.
Jason Wilbur plays what the old folks call "sideman", a term for lead guitarist of a famous name (Scotty Moore was Elvis Presley's sideman, Don Rich was Buck Owen's sideman, etc.). Mr. Wilbur has much to do with taking these songs to a unique refreshing place. I saw JP in concert supporting this album accompanied by Jason Wilbur (electric guitar) and Dave Jacques (stand-up and electric bass). Taking nothing away from Dave, but Jason displayed some amazing chops - not fast, but different. Steel guitar licks, interesting double-stops, triple string bends, drew enthusiastic applause from the audience after many of his solos. I mention this because this kind of playing is all over the album as well.
Do yourself a favor and trust me on this one. It's a great album by anyone's standards.

Like all of Prine's work, this one takes time to sink in, but boy has it snuck up on me. It occurred to me this morning that it hasn't left my 5-disc CD changer (a Marantz CC4300 modified with OPA627 op amps - try it and you'll never leave the house :-) in weeks. So what is it about this album that finally got me?

Prine deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Dylan as one of our greatest songwriters. But unlike Dylan, who maintains some distance from his work, Prine's work is intimate and personal. He can move you to tears. His voice has gotten more rough-edged with the years and his treatment for neck cancer - but the gruff voice suits his work well. Compare "Souvenirs" to his debut album - to me, at least, Souvenirs is much more moving because it is delivered with perspective and experience. Well, the same goes for Fair and Square, which is not only delivered with perspective and experience, but written with it as well.

"Glory of True Love" is written by a man who has lost love enough times to know that it should be cherished when found. "Long Monday" and "My Darlin' Hometown" are full of loss and longing and perspective that can only come with age. And in case you're worried that time and illness had worn down his trademark sense of humor, "Crazy as a Loon" and "I Hate It When That Happens to Me" will put your mind at ease. He even includes a version of the Carter family staple "Bear Creek Blues" that has some real bite to it. And it's all wrapped in his most laid-back delivery yet, with the best-sounding backing since he played with Steve Goodman at his side.

Another masterwork from an underappreciated master.

John Prine hasn't done a lot of new material since "The Missing Years," and I was a little disappointed with "Lost Dogs & Mixed Blessings." But he's back on his game with this one! I got it as a Christmas present and I must have listened to it thirty times since then. From the opening measures of "Glory of True Love," which reminded me of "Souvenirs," I knew this one was classic John Prine.

First thoughts - John Prine has toed the mark! What an excellent piece of beauty.
The artistry overwhelms the musically inclined, so delicate and soft yet convincing
and relaxing. Memories of a young Kristofferson come into mind. The voices are similar
and the message is tight with a few loose spots. That's okay, cause it lets my mind wander.
This is a gem from the start....to the finish

It was well worth the 10 year wait!

It's dark funny, but I still got a spot open for the next Steve Goodman album and no space left for a new
John Prine album. I guess it's time to realize and move on. The greatest will always survive - dead or alive.

This is a great album! A must own....

I can only laugh when I read some of these other reviews. As a performing artist, sometimes you just can't win. Many of the artists who are lucky enough to have been around as long as John Prine has, hear the old criticism over and over again, "I liked his older stuff better." Well, it seems many see this Prine release as simply "more of the same." So there it is - you change and you get criticized, or you don't, and you still get critized. I'm sure it doesn't mean much either way to Mr. Prine.

As far as I'm concerned, that's the greatest thing about John Prine - his newer music is just as good as his older music. I agree with others who have called him a genius. I've been a fan since the 1970's and he is one of the very few artists that I just never get tired of. How could anyone who likes his music become tired of him? Each new Cd is breath of fresh air and quite similar to his original efforts, all at the same time.

Thank God John Prine didn't come along any later than he did - he may not have been beautiful enough or mainstream enough for the present-day music industry. And we all would have been poorer for it. I cringe when I think about all the struggling artists out there who are turned down these days because they don't have the right look. It's a sad era for music.

But, to the point - Fair & Square is a gem, of course. Yes, it's a little more serious than some of his earlier efforts, but not entirely. But that's ok - "Happy Music" leaves me cold anyway. I like music that stirs up emotions and brain cells - and John Prine never fails to do that. If you're a John Prine fan, you will not be disappointed with this CD.

Anyone who appreciates heartfelt wisdom, wit, insight and all delivered with superior homespun muscianship should buy this effort without further ado.

I cant stop listening as it is as if someone were telling me stories on the front porch during a warm summer afternoon.

This guy literally changed how I viewed music years ago. To say the man's a legend is accurate. So you know he had to record a disc that was quite special after 9 years off. He's done it. The thing is, whenever I hear John Prine, I think it was easy for him. He's the most naturally talented "story-teller" I've ever heard, and I'm also thinking of Tom T. when I say that. These tunes are brimming with his trademark intelligent, witty, and unique takes on life. His voice has changed (like Dylan, and Cash in their later years), but as a previous reviewer stated, it's a perfect match for the wise, and wrinkled man who has overcome so much, and has given more over the years. Not one weak tune out this near 60 minutes of magic from a guy that, I'm grateful, gave up delivering mail to become a monument to music. Thanks John.

At the age of 20, I can proudly say that I've been listening to John Prine my entire life. From the childhood car trips with his music playing non-stop, to the $260 tattoo I got of him recently; I've been a huge fan. This album is a little more bluegrass/country than he's done before (at least in my opinion) but it is still being played non-stop since I purchased it (not a fan of country music for the most part). The song Morning Train even includes a blues type song, which is an incredibly addition to his already spotless career. Whether you're a country fan, a folk music fan, or just looking for something new, this C.D. is it. I haven't found a friend who didn't like his music (with their intrests ranging from death metal to country). It's perfect for relaxing and at times even taking a comical break at the end of your day.