Fun

Daniel Johnston

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 13, 1994)
• Original Release Date: September 13, 1994
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Atlantic / Wea
• ASIN: B000002J13
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #42,032 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
The major labels have finally figured out that while extremely uneven homemade tapes sound like crap as demos, they can come off as pure eccentric brilliance when released commercially. So goes the story of Daniel Johnston: two-track loser in Slackertown U.S.A. (Austin, Texas) since 1980, when he began releasing a continuous stream of songs on cassette via his own Stress Records and small indies like Shimmy Disc. All the while he cultivated a small but important following that included a Cobain and a Vedder, plus friends like Mo Tucker and Jad Fair. Now, just in time for his first major-label release, Johnston is a certified underground legend. Admittedly, Fun is not a very major-sounding major-label record. It runs low on overdubs and slick production, with accompaniment that at times consists of only one instrument--a cello, a tinny guitar, a cheap keyboard plunked at random--or nothing at all. On children's songs like "Happy Time," Johnston sounds like Ween doing Jonathan Richman as he recalls "the Kool-Aid flowing like wine" in a voice so whiny, thin, and seemingly unaffected it ends up sounding distractingly affected. The naive pose he assumes on record gives him license to write awful rhymes like "I love that girl so much / I can't get enough of her touch"; we are to understand that it's not so much bad writing as it is an ironic parody of bad writing. But while Johnston's idiosyncrasies are times grating, he means no harm. In fact, his songs are nearly always memorable--and at times unforgettable. So all is forgiven. And if it turns out Johnston is truly the spaced-out geek he plays on Fun, he may well have earned his rep as a creative genius. --Roni Sarig

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars johnston solo or nothin', February 13, 2002

By	Michael Anzalone (Croton-on-Hudson, NY United States) - See all my reviews

As a devote Johnston follower I have found that none of the CD records he has released compare to the Stress Record tapes he made thru out the 80's.
It seems that whenever Daniel has a band behind him his material just sounds plain if not bar bandish. For the true beautiful agony and despair of his talent search for the Stress record tapes. In particular, "The What of Whom" tape/album will make your heart implode. These tapes are usually just Johnston playing piano or guitar, raw and uncontained by a band. Do yourself a favor.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I was a time traveler, listening to the heavenly laughter., August 10, 2005

By	Michael Blasi "blasiriver" (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I bought this on recommendation, and after a listen through, it sat on my shelf for a year or so. Now I'd consider it among my favorite albums, one I've possibly listened to more than any other. The songs are incredibly varied- from totally whacked out synthesizer experiments, to Ramone-esque rockers like 'Psycho Nightmare', to nervous blues renditions like 'Catie'- but Daniel's unique, personal lyrics and tenuous voice hold everything together really well. My favorite song is "Happy Time", a nostalgic/messianic self-portrait. Daniel's earlier non-studio albums are also great, but this album is unique for its clear sound and simple production.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This legendary songwriter finally gets into the studio!, June 12, 1998

By A Customer

Everyone knows Daniel as the legendary singer-songwriter who influenced the likes of Kurt Cobain (Nirvana) and Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam). Johnston's "homemade" cassettes feature some of the most brilliant, intimate, and sometimes frightening songs of the last 30 years. "Fun", produced by Paul Leary (Butthole Surfers), offers a lighter side of Daniel. He's older, wiser and having more, well, Fun! Highlights include the rocking "Love Wheel", "Life In Vain", "Crazy Love", and the wonderful "Happy Time." Be sure to check out Daniel's orginal folk-art images on the cover and inside the liner notes. And, the "purple duck of happiness" is featured on the CD itself!