New American Language

Dan Bern | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 9, 2001)
• Original Release Date: 2001
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Messenger Records
• ASIN: B00005QC62
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #153,807 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #50 in Music > Indie Music > Alternative Rock > Alternative Folk

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars New American masterpiece!, October 28, 2001

By 

Rob Damm - See all my reviews

This review is from: New American Language (Audio CD)

If the only track on this album was "God Said No",and the rest of the playing time was static, it would still be a great album. Ok, that's silly, but "God said no" is one of the best songs I've ever heard. It is totally heart-wrenching rumination on the irrevesible nature of time and consequently, the indellible marks of guilt and evil. It may not be the best song Bern ever wrote, but it's probably the most ambitious and beautiful.

Oh, yeah, the rest of the album is brilliant too. The title track is another favorite, wherein the singer dreams of not just a new American language, but a kinder, bigger world in general. There isn't a bad track, and while pundits will debate if it is THE best DB album, it is easily the most consistent and listenable.

Great, smart music.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Turning Over, January 30, 2002

By 

Douglas A. Storm (Glen Carbon, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: New American Language (Audio CD)

You can see from below that there's no need for another review of high praise for Dan Bern, but I wanted him to have another 5-stars under his belt.

A friend said the other day that he felt Bern was derivative of Springsteen, Dylan, etc...a common enough response and not undeserved on much of Bern's work, heck he courts it, even if it is ironic. Well, this album has turned all that over.

Not only does this go beyond much of the previous work, nearly every song can stand with the greats from the past like Chelsea Hotel, it proves that Bern is ready to be HEARD by the rest of the world. I don't think there's an overtly offensive lyric on this album. In the past, a song like "One Thing Real" cut itself off at the POP knees with a verse that could not be played on the radio. Not so here.

I'm a great fan of the self-titled release as a cohesive recording--rare for most albums, and Bern's other albums have songs that can clash against each other--New American Language keeps it together for the whole work. One song after another--all are worthy to be ranked with anyone's favorite by Dan Bern. This album does the work of turning over the influences so overt in the past to create an original voice and sound.

Thanks, Dan. Now get to St. Louis!!!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dan Rocks, November 20, 2001

By 

audra beauchamp (North Carolina) - See all my reviews

This review is from: New American Language (Audio CD)

I saw Dan recently in Asheville, NC. He performed most of the songs from "New American Language". He and the CD are incredible. I reccomend this CD for everyone. I love all of Dan Bern's work and own all of his CDs.
However, I haven't had a huge response when trying to turn others on to his music. I think his song writting is clever and unbelievable, but often, it is difficult to get my friends to pay attention to the lyrics. However, "New American Language" with the new band sound is much easier to love at first listen. Buy this for yourself and all your friends!!!