Let's Just Be (Dig)

Joseph Arthur | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 17, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Lonely Astronaut
• ASIN: B000O590AC
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #163,266 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

It's hard to resist the urge to rock out once in awhile. Let's Just Be is proof that even the most smooth-voiced and pop-minded singer-songsters must get their ya-yas out now and again. On some songs, Arthur conjures the early '70s spirit of Mick Jagger while on others he seems to be shooting for Marc Bolan. His most ragged-sounding and strictly rock and roll album to date, the record has a very loosely hewn feel which reaches an apex during the 20 minute (plus) "Lonely Astronaut." That song starts out as a pleasant enough country warble then mutates into a sloppy rave-up before dissolving into a bizarre mantra of the word "I" chanted atop an acoustic guitar and what sounds like a cement mixer, before slipping back into the warble bit. This disc is charming in its own way, and clearly was a blast for all involved--but a tad more editing might have been nice. --Mike McGonigal

Product Description

Track Listings:Diamond RingGood LifePrecious OneSpacemenTake Me HomeChicagoCockteezeLonely AstronautCocaine FeetLet's Just BeShake It OffLack A VisionGimme Some CompanyI Will Carry YouYer The ReasonStar Song

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing, April 19, 2007

By 

CEL - See all my reviews

This review is from: Let's Just Be (Dig) (Audio CD)

Let me start by saying: I'm a big Joseph Arthur fan. For anyone who is interested in his music- I deplore you- go buy Come to Where I'm From or Our Shadows Will Remain. Those albums are a much better representation of what Joseph Arthur is capable of as a musician- and must haves for any fan.

Now, on to Let's Just Be.

Let's Just Be is Joseph's follow up to last years lukewarm Nuclear Daydream, and his first release on his Lonely Astronaut label. Similar to John Lennon's / Yoko Ono's Wedding Album, Unfinished Music etc. - Let's Just Be seems like an expression of all the crap that the labels wouldn't release on one of his previous releases. Overall, the album has a very Rock N Roll production. Any fans expecting anything similar to his previous releases might as well give in to disappointment immediately.

The opening track, "Diamond Ring" might as well be a discarded AC/DC track. Overly raucous and messy.
Track two, "Good Life" begins with a 60 sec sound collage intro. This track is a little more bearable, with a decent verse / chorus - but ends awkwardly with Joseph piercingly screaming "Rock N ROLL!" into the microphone. Already, less than five minutes into the album- I could tell this was a album was packed with nothing more than dissatisfaction. And it gets worse before getting better.

"Spacemen" begins ok, but the ridiculous chorus "Here Come the Spacemen, Outta the Sky!" ruined the track for me.

"Take Me Home" is definitely a little taste of the Joseph Arthur I know. A stripped down, simple track- it fails to reach the beauty / complexity of his best works, but is still a simple little track with a nice sound.

"Chicago" is an alternative track with lots of overdubbed vocals / echoes. It emotes similarly to his work on Redemption Son.

"Cockteeze" is another Rock N Roll track. It has a charm about it- but it's too silly to take seriously. Joseph's voice cracks through the whole track as he reaches too high out of his range. Again- I hear an AC/DC influence here...

I had high hopes for "Lonely Astronaut". It begins as a slow, acoustic, country flavored tune with more "Take Me Home" style lyrics. At around the 8 minute mark, the beat deconstructs - the music becomes noise- and Joseph repeats the word "I" into the microphone every three seconds for the next SEVEN MINUTES. After about SEVEN minutes, he begins repeating the word "LOVE" into the mic instead. This continues for another few minutes before the acoustic guitars come back in for the reprise, ending the track at just over 20 minutes. I am all for avante garde experimentation, but let's either leave it to the artists, forewarn your audience, or wait until you come down off the cocaine before doing so.

And that brings us to, "Cocaine Feet". Another bluesy Rock track- personally, I don't feel it's Joseph's genre- and I would rather hear it from people who do it well. But all in all, it's a decent track that showcases Jennifer Turner's guitar skills. One of the more solid tracks off the album.

The title track, "Let's Just Be", is a clap-a-long with more shrieking Joseph. Nothing special about this one.

"Shake it Off" is one of the worst tracks I have heard in recent memory. Again, I'm all for experimentation. Substances have helped a lot of musicians, but rarely while they are in the studio. Please stop the recording process until you're sober enough to recognize your inability to perform.

"Lack of Vision", Jennifer Turner's "Gimmie Some Company", and "Yer the Reason" are the standout tracks on the album. They sound as if they were recorded live in the studio- and Joseph is definitely outperformed by his band mates. Turner's "Gimmie Some Company" is one of my favorites of this album.

The album closer "Star Song" begins with the band members imitating cat meows.
It's another slower tune, with a Middle Eastern flair to it. It's one of the few incidences on this album where the Lonely Astronauts experimentation actually sees fruition. Well done guys.

All in all, I feel as though Joseph Arthur has lost all artistic credibility. I wish he would have taken the time to either hone these songs, or forewarn his fans that this album was more experimental (i.e. Unfinished Music).
As I said to my fellow Joseph Arthur fans on the day of release, the only talent Joseph exhibits on Let's Just Be is how he can ruin a song in thirty seconds.

Again, if you are interested in Joseph Arthur's music, which I highly recommend, then buy Come to Where I'm From or Our Shadows Will Remain, you will not be disappointed. His (actual) music is truly underappreciated.

5.0 out of 5 stars A taste of something different, May 29, 2010

By 

Marie Halle "As I see it...." (Montreal, QC. Ca.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Let's Just Be (Dig) (Audio CD)

Its a record for people who need a break from mainstream melodic music, I think. Sure I love Joseph`s popular albums and more mainstream songs. But this is eclectic and artistic and I agree, a masterpiece. Lack A Vision is worth the price of the album. Joseph clearly does not lack a vision. I hope to hear more as he develops in this direction. Its a very intereting journey and one I intend to follow. I love his recent one man tour with loop pedals, acoustic and electric, truly a show that must be seen. «his vibes are haunting, long after the show is over.

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing (Plus Bonus "What the Hell Were They Thinking!"), November 30, 2009

By 

Kevin Barrack (San Mateo, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Let's Just Be (Dig) (Audio CD)

I gave this 2 stars because as a whole album I think it stinks. But also there are 3 songs that are really fantastic and remind me of Arthur's songwriting from Redemption's Son, which is one of his best albums. Those 3 songs I would give 4 or 5 stars.

"Take Me Home" is a heartfelt and subdued tune consisting of acoustic guitar, keyboards and mellow drums. Really beautiful. "Chicago" is an interestingly written song that is much more energetic, with loud guitars and a punchy beat. "Lonely Astronaut" is an enigma. It's over twenty minutes long. Parts of it, most of it as measured by the clock, I absolutely love: beautiful songwriting. But here's the thing: at about 8 minutes into the song it suddenly devolves into this cacophany of non-musical guitar strumming, and on top of that Arthur is chanting "aye, aye, aye, aye." This goes on FOR EIGHT MINUTES! Right in the middle of the song. And then, just as mysteriously as it came, it's gone, and the song goes back to what it was doing at the beginning for 4 more minutes. If you could splice the middle 8 minutes out of the song it would be great. I'm generally pretty appreciative of artistic license, but I don't understand the meaning of putting this chaotic, grating mental breakdown in the middle of this song. There's no meaningful transition and no obvious meaningful relationship to the rest of the song. I just don't know what they were thinking.

Perhaps some explanation comes from this quote from Joseph Arthur: "The philosophy of the whole record was sort of a letting go, that's why I called it Let's Just Be, because it was like everything about that record [came from] a Zen-like approach. Just letting things be how they are."

There is one other equally horrible part of this album and that would be the song "Shake It Off" with Arthur shrieking like a banshee over an awkward beat. Listen to the sound clip and you'll see what I mean. It doesn't get any better.

Don't buy this album unless you just buy mp3s of the 3 good tracks (although you can't buy "Lonely Astronaut" as an mp3). Other than my favorite Joseph Arthur album, Redemption's Son, I also love Come to Where I'm From and Our Shadows Will Remain. You can't go wrong with any of those three albums. If you've already got those and you want to deepen your Joseph Arthur collection, consider Vacancy which is very good (although I think it's expensive to buy these days) or And the Thieves Are Gone EP which is solid.