Customer Reviews

Tooth of Crime

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

 

 

The fact that these new T-Bone Burnett tunes were originally written for a play had me concerned at first. ("The Knee Plays," anyone?) But once I listened to the music, I got into it. The CD stands very well on its own without any connection to Sam Shepard's play, and every song's a keeper. You've got the Twin Peaks-ish "Dope Island," the occasional taste of blues such as "Sweet Lullaby," and a variety of other styles in between. As you might expect from producer extraordinaire Burnett, the musicians playing with T-Bone are impressive people like Jon Brion and Marc Ribot, plus his ex-wife Sam Phillips. (I'm a big fan of hers too.) The duets between Sam & T-Bone on "Dope Island" are marvelous, and she even sings lead vocals here and there. By the way, the title of this album reminded me of Burnett's "Truth Decay," except in reverse, right?

T Bone's albums are an investment that produce satisfaction on initial listening and reward again in the future. They just don't go stale--- e.g. TRUTH DECAY which can sit on my shelf for many months and then sound great again. T bone has established his status as a producer and his own music is adult rock at its very best. I am also a fan of Sam Phillips who makes an appreciated contribution to TOOTH OF CRIME.

This is the album I think a million alternative bands are trying to make. This is the album Pete Townshend, Maria Muldaur, Patti Smith, and the rest of T-Bone's pals will be listening to, not to mention numerous studio execs. You in?
I read the fifteen page lyric booklet, and the lyrics didn't make any sense. Bill Hart is there thanked for directing the first production of the play. It's a play? This is a soundtrack? Sam Shephard is credited for inventing an "intense nulanguge", and some of it reminds me of his play, True West.

But slip the CD in, and it's a different story. T-Bone's talking blues style perfectly fits the sleek, stylish music, 180 degrees from radio. The album starts off with a noir/ modernist jazz feel on "Anything I Say Can and Will Be Used Against You." There's a dazzling interplay of English major words (and I was an English major), but musically, it's probably T-Bone's best album (and that's saying a lot for a T-Bone fan). Glimpses of startling imagery and snatches of arresting phrases slide through the naked, suggestive music, recalling songs like "Mad Ave" and some of Alpha Band, like "Born in Captivity": "Then when you're the object of complete derision/ I'll make you a star on television."

Sam Phillips provides wonderful vocals on "Dope Island" (and four other songs), reminiscent of her stunning debut, The Indescribable Wow. Roy Orbison is listed as a co-writer on the incredible "Kill Zone". Whatever is going on onstage during the play visually, it must be amazing to hear this audio soundscape performed live. For those new to T-Bone's endless invention, this isn't his most accessible album. Those would include Proof Through the Night, for some reason released only as a limited edition by Rhino on CD, an EP called Trap Door, Truth Decay, and a collection called Twenty-Twenty. But after you hear those (or whatever you can find of those) you'll want more. Take heart, for just when you thought you'd die if they played those same twenty "alternative" songs on the radio again, here's something completely different, and it seems the Muse can sing again.

If this album seems somewhat bleak, it's merely because it is, and whatever else this retro/ future SF/ noir album is, it's an excursion through the dark side of the human condition. Lines like this from "Kill Zone": "How much grief and sin/ til a heart caves in?" simply make you long for the other side of the blues, which T-Bone explores elsewhere, the good news called gospel.

There is little in this Nonesuch disc to indicate that it is music for the Sam Shepard musical of the same name. Just a tiny photo of Shepard in the booklet, and this note:

"...to Sam Shepard whose visionary and inspiring play invented an intense nulanguage and led us all into an unexpected shamanistic world of sound in the dark conjure of the blues."

Shepard's rock musical about the competition between an aging rocker and a young challenger was first produced in 1972. Burnett was enlisted to write music for a new version, "Tooth of Crime: Second Dance," in 1997. The musical was met with poor reviews, and in 2006 the original version with music by Shepard was revived. I remember seeing the announcement for an album by T Bone back in 2000 called TOOTH OF CRIME. It never appeared until 2008. There seems to be no information on that 2000 near-release -- was it the same music that we finally hear on this disc, or are these new recordings? It would seem to be the latter, particularly since it sounds more similar to T Bone's 2006 album The True False Identity than to his earlier music.

The core musical unit is great -- Jim Keltner on drums, Marc Ribot on guitar, Greg Leisz on steel guitar, Sam Philips on vocals on several tracks, and on six of the ten tracks a horn section including Suzett Moriarty on French horn. Of course T Bone sings and plays guitar, as well as bass and piano here and there.

This is mainly ominous, atmospheric, sci-fi stuff. Fair warning to any T Bone fans looking for pop tunes, you will only find one here -- the beautiful "Kill Zone," by T Bone with Roy Orbison and Bob Neuwirth, which was included on the 2006 Twenty Twenty 2-disc retrospective. It is a stunning song, with dark lyrics totally at odds with the lovely melody, including the chorus: "How long will I be getting over you, how much grief and sin 'til a heart caves in?"

Of the other songs, the most tuneful are "Dope Island," with a T Bone and Sam Philips duet lead vocal, and "Sweet Lullaby," the closing track, written by T Bone with Sam Shepard. The rest feature great sounds and fascinating cyberpunk lyrics, but not pop melodies. "The Rat Age" begins: "I was conceived in a Behavior Station, light years from civilization." The hipster nulanguage of "Telepresence" includes: "I see blowdown damage, static kill, mean square displacement baby, just for a thrill."

In another dedication note to Bill Hart, who directed the original production in 1972, T Bone mentions Hart's "awareness of how fully we are living during the apocalypse." That is certainly the sensation the listener gets from this record!

The striking thing about this album is how impersonal it is. It's been said that T-Bone is a man of many hats. I would add spiritual advisor to his long list of impressive talents. His "Behind The Trap Door" helped me survive some difficult times. This album has T-Bone turning knobs and adjusting the dials for what amounts to a collection of special effects. It's entertaining, but not very moving. The percussion is, as usual, very entertaining. T-Bone's ability to interface with the technology, the psychology, and the art of music makes him a great producer. For anyone unfamiliar with his him, I suggest you start with one of his many productions. If you find an artist you like, and he produced it, you're in luck. I especially liked his "Down From The Mountain" concert album.

This is a masterpiece. T-Bone's best yet. He not only is one of the best producers he's better then the people he produces.

It's bleak. So what. Look around you. Open your eyes and ears. Greed and stupidity has us on the road to hell.

We need this kind of artist. He's also got a good sense of humor.

It's a crime alright.

I have been listening to T Bone Burnett for years and it's been a long time since he's put out an album. It is very good listening and he has used his producer, musician skills well over the years. I highly recommend this CD.

Probably too early to write a review, but having listened to it a few
times, I get this feeling that T-Bone is trying really hard to come off
sounding like Joe Henry, but Joe Henry is much much better and original since
he's been doing this sound for several albums now.
Everytime I listen to this recording, that's what comes to mind - Joe Henry
but not as good. Sorry Mr. Burnett. Maybe next album you get Joe Henry
to produce YOU!