Customer Reviews

My Father's Face

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I was first introduced, like most, to Mr. Kottke's music by being invited by a friend (his daughter) to his concert. I remember thinking beforehand, 'oh gee great, an acoustic guitar player, right down my alley'. I was not expecting this to be my cup of tea.

But his songs, lyrics, and random train of thought discussion between songs immediately win you over. Completely disarming, the music reminds me of two guitar players strumming something waltzy in nature. That's sounds bad doesn't it? It's actually quite awe inspiring.

He captures a wide range of emotions from goofy humor to melancholy sadness. All the time you'll find your toe tapping and your head bobbing and your brain anticipating the next odd lyric. This will always be my favorite LK album for its accessibility. And my friends, who range from hardcore metal heads to punkers to n'sync listeners all find this album incredible.

I've been a Leo Kottke fan for thirty years but this album may be the best ever, simply on the strength of "Mona Ray," the most exquisite song I've heard him do...this is "Echoing Gilewitz" with the mystery but not the sadness. What a treat...

I'll start out by saying I am a devoted Kottke fan, but if given the unfortunate task of selecting only one album from this seminal master, I would prolly select this one. My enduring favorite is 'Aunt Francis'... this tune will grow on you given a few listens....If not, listen again!

This album was my intro to Leo Kottke. A local radio station had for many years used the "Theme from the Rick and Bob Report" as its intro. The infectious and upbeat melody always appealed to me. One day, I was privileged to learn the title and artist; within 30 minutes, I had my first Kottke CD. I have never looked back.

This CD is in my opinion an excellent introduction to Kottke. The fretwork is amazing but not overwhelming despite the virtuosity. The voice is unusual as always but so appealing when you get used to it.

The "piece de resistance" is "Jack Gets Up". My kids ( all 5) still laugh when they hear it. To them, it's the "snort fort song". I just smile.

If you love acoustic guitar, buy this album. In fact, any kind of music. I defy anyone to listen and not fall in love with the fingers from Minnesota. I sure did.

Many CD's later, it's still my father's face, just like Leo. And the thin grin too.

I've got virtually all Kottke's albums that I can find, and after years of listening, this one is still my favorite...you get that great guitar work, nothing else like it in the universe, plus that wonderful voice! Leo himself says it sounds like "goose farts on a muggy day," but hey, sometimes we need to hear that kind of thing! You can't go wrong with this album, great variety of music, great guitar, great lyrics!

Here's Kottke's finest work - and definitely one to start with if you're new to him.

His rich compositions here encompass solo guitar (tracks 3, 5, 6, 7, 9) and songs (2, 4, 8, 10) which he sings with his own guitar accompaniment and backing musicians. Tracks 1 and 11 feature just his guitar and the musicians.

Every track is simply first class.

His playing is cleaner than before (following a period of revising his technique) but retains his distinctive energy and attack (`Times Twelve') and the CD illustrates his quirky innovation - `Twelve' features guitar and timpani drum!

The `Theme From The Rick and Bob Report' is melodic and beautifully optimistic; `William Powell' an absorbing, deft tune; `My Aunt Francis' and `B.J.' are complex pieces - `B.J.' being rounded off with a subtle, perfectly executed ending. `Mona Ray' is a superior rendition of an earlier recording - light, nimble, understated.

`Why Can't You Fix My Car?' and `Jack Gets Up' reflect his lightly cynical, teasing wit. `Back in Buffalo' has a superb melody hidden under his twisting, shuffling, discordant guitar work.

Kottke's famous self-effacement about his vocals is nonsense - his singing on `Every Body Lies' is exceptional - the song also demonstrates how sadly underrated he is as a songwriter/lyricist.

What do you get when you mix American folk and blues, throw in little tinges of jazz, country and pop, add truly original, exceptional steel strung acoustic guitar playing, dazzling technique, great singing, novel compositions, sharp lyrics, plus unconventional, happy wit? -

- why Leo Kottke of course.

Leo Kottke's guitar style is absolutely incredible. My first exposure to his music was going with a friend to a concert to see him live, and I spent a long time after that trying to find the CD that had the "Every Day in the Morning..." song (Jack Gets Up). My first impression still holds: that Kottke uses his guitar to tell a story. He hardly needs to sing to convey his thought, and when he does, his voice is much better than he thinks it is...

This album is a great example of his work, and one of my favorites. "Why can't you fix my car" made me laugh, and it has a very interesting intro as well. A great pick if you're new to Kottke.

For those of you who haven't heard Leo before, this would be the perfect place to start - an album of eleven airtight compositions played with remarkable dexterity and humor. It doesn't get much better. Absolutely fantastic.

My first Kottke Album; And my favorite. Leo Kottke is the heavy metal of folk music! Few other guitarists have the artistic vision of Leo Kottke. This album will open your ears to the true capability of an acoustic guitar in the hands of a master.

This multi-part review can be found on each of these product pages:

1) A Shout Toward Noon (1987)
2) Regards From Chuck Pink (1988)
3) My Father's Face (1989)
4) That's What (1990)
5) Great Big Boy (1992)
6) Peculiaroso (1994)
7) Standing In My Shoes (1997)
8) One Guitar, No Vocals (1999)

Part Three: My Father's Face

If an album is something more than a compilation of songs, My Father's Face is the first true album of Kottke's first three for Private Music. From track to track the sound on the album is even more unified than on A Shout Toward Noon, and is a complete reversal from the "greatest hits" feel of Regards From Chuck Pink. Does that necessarily make it a better album, though?

Enter T-Bone Burnett. Rather, re-enter T-Bone Burnett. For those unfamiliar, Burnett has produced albums for many big-name artists. From Wikipedia, "...Burnett has produced artists such as BoDeans, Los Lobos, Counting Crows, Tony Bennett, Natalie Merchant and k.d. lang on the A Wonderful World album and The Wallflowers on Bringing Down the Horse." And he also produced Kottke's Time Step (1983), so the two had worked before. For my money, Time Step wasn't among Kottke's best albums. Only two tracks are instrumental, and some of the cover choices could have been better.

If I may understate, My Father's Face (hence referred to as "Face") is an improvement over Kottke and Burnett's previous team-up.

Times Twelve - on Face, the listener will notice a real variety in Kottke's guitar work. This piece is one excellent example. A brisk 4/4 with a constant triplet feel, it's like nothing Kottke has done before or since. If Kottke's right-hand bounce wasn't so distinct, one would have a hard time recognizing this as a Leo Kottke tune. It's wonderful, even if the production gets in the way. Not in any egregious way, but the percussion definitely interferes here.

Everybody Lies - a grab from the Kottke archives (Burnt Lips, 1978), this song, one of Leo's best, is graced with the smooth dobro work of Jerry Douglas.

BJ - another un-Kottkelike piece, BJ is a slow-moving, sensitive, melancholy lament. It's beautifully restrained and touching.

Why Can't You Fix My Car? - this silly little song is played in Kottke's signature style. Just a little fun, catchy ear candy.

Theme From "The Rick and Bob Report" - not bad, but one of the lesser pieces on the album

My Aunt Francis - One of tbe most complicated solo pieces Kottke has ever composed, this four and a half minute piece is full of changing tempos, complex and dissonant chord voicings, and rolling dynamics. It's not the best piece on the album, but it is a full smorgasbord of musical ideas. Leo Kottke's musical virtuosity is definitely not limited to his superb right-hand technique.

William Powell - surely one of the signature Leo Kottke tunes. You'll love it. Even on a great album full of great tunes, this one stands out.

Back in Buffalo - this song hurts the ears. I'm not being critical here; Back in Buffalo is a good piece of music because it is so dissonant. You won't love it, though.

Mona Ray - another grab from the Kottke vault, this version is inferior to its appearance on 1974's Dreams and All That Stuff.

Jack Gets Up - The album title sort of comes from the lyrics ("And you look in the mirror and it's your father's face") in this humorous song, sung in a kind of spoken word style. Another bit of fun.

Doorbell - I don't get this. It's five minutes of a repeated melody.

This is an even better album than I have described here - greater than the sum of its parts. Highly recommended.