Customer Reviews

The True False Identity

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Do you know how long it has been since T-Bone Burnett has released an album of his own? I do. It's almost fifteen years, and I've spent a good deal of that time checking record bins and lists of new releases waiting for something new to appear from him. Now that it's here, I cannot say I'm surprised to discover that T-Bone Burnett's new album is unlike anything else he has previously released. Maybe the change is because he was influenced by a few of the artists he produced (Cassandra Wilson, Elvis Costello, etc.), or maybe he was inspired by some of his soundtrack work ("O Brother Where Art Thou" and "I Walk the Line" were both created under his guidance). Either way, the change is both profound and startling.
In the past, Burnett's work displayed a keen awareness of Americana, with an underpinning of pop structures that made his music both unique and contemporary. On "The True False Identity," Burnett seems to be unconcerned with pop, instead relying on his own instincts to provide the sonic palette. The result is an album unlike any other that I have heard. Each song on this collection plays like an aural depiction of a subconscious thought, structured to follow the whimsical paranoia of Burnett's inner voice. "Fear Country," "I'm Going on a Long Journey," "Earlier Baghdad," and almost every other track here has a sense of underlying menace that is offset by a nearly playful lyricism. "Palestine, Texas" is flat-out absurd, with a `name game' rhyme-ology that can make you laugh out loud, albeit uncomfortably ("Frank who is swank robbed a bank with a tank for a prank...").
Structurally, almost all songs here share an even-paced, loping rhythm and dark, film-noir-esque arrangements that are perfectly suited to Burnett's wry voice. Chord changes are minimal, as if any change in the tonal presentation would interrupt the authenticity of the mood. "Seven Times Hotter Than Fire" sits on one chord until the end of each verse, where the band continually modulates to build on the tension inherent in the words. Lyrically, "The True False Identity" is both confounding and entertaining, suggesting Bob Dylan at his most mystifying. Burnett also shares Dylan's penchant for oblique moralizing and judgmental observation. For example, check out this line from "Blinded By the Darkness," which Burnett talk-sings over a lava bed of clanking percussion and buzzed-out guitar noise; "Do we want to inject the concept of sin into the constitution? Is this really necessary?....Shouldn't it be left to the laws of God and to the laws of nature? Can we trust this to the legislature?"
Conceptually, "The True False Identity" is no easy ride, but it rewards multiple listens. I personally plan to spend a lot of time listening to this CD, but I hope I don't have wait another fifteen years to discover what comes next. A Tom Ryan

I love this album! After more than a dozen years of producing other people's albums and creating incredible soundtracks, T Bone Burnett has returned with a great CD of his own music. The songs on True/False Identity reflect the accumulated wisdom an American legend. As you would expect from T Bone, the lyrics are compelling, with trenchant social commentary wrapped in biting wit.

The band that backs T Bone is terrific. Built on a foundation of Jim Keltner's drumming, the band delivers pulsating rhythms and compelling melodies.

True/False identity is a really important CD. Check it out.

"Disappointed" wrote a review giving 1 star after listening only twice? Fair go, I wasn't sure of it after 2 listens either. Quite a few listens later, my opinion is that it's very good indeed. Highly sophisticated musicianship, amazingly detailed and layered production, every song full of interesting sounds, melodies, rythyms and thoughts. Some are rasping, blues driven steam-rollers while other songs provide the space to breathe again. The closing song "Shaken Rattled And Rolled" sounds like an awakening disguised as a lament. This is exhilarating stuff and I don't expect there will be many better albums in 2006. As good as Bob Dylan's "Time out of Mind" (but TOOM is kind of easier to listen to).

Not easily accesible--this is not lighthearted easy listening. It takes abit getting used to. Maybe like me, T-Bone's quirky production has gotten in the way of his songs in the past, and the first listen I felt the same thing. More annoyed than anything. However, I admire T-Bone so much, I made myself keep listening to it because I really wanted to hear what he had to say. Slowly but surely I began to tune into the lyrics, the punk-like fervor and anger imbedded in the heart of every song,the incredible guitar work of Mark Ribot and the overall sense of purpose in the music. This is the soundtrack to the decline of western civilization, and a howling yelp of personal angst as well. I don't think there is a bad track on the cd--most are outstanding--'Seven Times Hotter...', 'Long Journey...', 'Fear Country', are my favorites. Crank 'em all up LOUD. The True False Identity speaks volumes to our world today--it requires a listener's ear, a poet's heart, and a sublevel of frustration and disillusionment to listen to this adequately--don't expect to charmed or mollified, but do expect to be moved. T-Bone gives life to the old bumpersticker, 'If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention.' Listen to this--often. A piece of art, a statement as strong as this cd, makes George Bush nervous.

T-Bone Burnett shares a place with a handful of artists who have strong and devoted followings, but whose music is perhaps too thoughtful to sell huge quantities. Quality is often more important that quantity. Burnett burns on his new set. My favorite track is "Seven Times Hotter Than Fire" with its driving electric guitar and the mesmerizing tromp of T-Bone's burning footsteps, "If I was dead & buried in the cold hard ground, I would rise from the grave & come & track you down." Another favorite is "Baby Don't You Say You Love Me" with a similar tribal beat pulsing and T-Bone's voice emotionally raw, "Every day you haunt me, first you hex me then you taunt me, then you leave me in this twisted misery." These tunes rank with his best work. From T-Bone's early days with the B-52 Bombers to the Alpha Band, T-Bone has pushed the limits with experimentation. On "Blinded by the Darkness" we experience Burnett's talk-sing as the guitars create a wall of chaos in the way he views the current political landscape, "Shouldn't sin be left to the laws of God & to the laws of nature; Can we trust this to the legislature." Similarly on "Every Time I Feel the Shift" Burnett talk-sings his frustrations about popular culture's shallow nature that could forget an 11th Commandment, had there been one. When Burnett rocks as he does on "Zombieland" & "Palestine Texas," his music is cutting edge. "The True False Identity" is an excellent set. Set against the backdrop of his classic catalog, it may shine slightly less. However, on its own merits, it's worth the exploration. Enjoy!

I managed to get to see Mr Burnett and his top draw band recently in Nashville. A great show. The band played all the material from this powerful album and there was no doubt the man is on fire. A cracking album, catch them live if you can.

T Bone Burnett returns! 14 years after his masterpiece THE CRIMINAL UNDER MY OWN HAT (see my review), T Bone is not so introspective. He is righteously angry at Bush and the Cheney/Bush Faction, and he has crafted a brilliant, innovative sound to convey his thoughts and feelings.

Notice his Civil War uniform on the cover. Notice how he holds his guitar like a rifle. This is a war, a fight for souls. T Bone says he tried to forget everything he knew about making music for this album. Actually, he says he didn't have to try, he really forgot sometime back in the '90s, and had to start over. With the help of long-time collaborators Marc Ribot (guitar), Jim Keltner (drums) and others, including 3 drummers on most tracks and loping bass lines, he has created a powerful sound that is rooted in African-American music (blues, New Orleans, and Haiti) rather than the white/country influences he has immersed himself in since the 1970s. This is one of those old-fashioned ALBUMS which works as a whole, not just a ramshackle collection of songs.

From the opening track, "Zombieland," we are immersed in evil, and it takes little imagination to realize its source. In "Palestine, Texas," he comes right out and blasts Bush, saying he will need a "soul transfusion" when he comes out of his "self-delusion." (This seems kind and generous to me, but then T Bone doesn't rule out a prison cell either.) Ribot's guitar snarls with maximum effectiveness. "Seven Times Hotter Than Fire" is one of the best songs on the album, with an infectious rhythm, perfectly suited to radio airplay. The other three songs with great melodies that work the best as stand-alone radio-worthy songs are "I'm Going On a Long Journey Never to Return," "Baby Don't Say You Love Me," and "Shaken Rattled and Rolled." There's only one "song" that I don't much care for, and that's "Blinded By the Darkness," a rant against the "Christian" right with some great lyrics, but not much music. T Bone points out that if sin was legislated, we would all be in prison, and then "there would be no one to get the food, or run the machines -- mercy on us, dude!"

One of my favorite moments on the album is the coda to "Every Time I Feel the Shift," with the repeated lyric to a marching beat "We're marching up to Zion, the beautiful city of God." It is amazing that the album was recorded prior to Katrina, because it has a strong New Orleans feel, and it is strongly in tune with the Gospel morality of the Black community. African-Americans oppose Bush and the Republicans at a consistent level of about 90%. T Bone stakes a claim here to HIS Christianity! Interestingly, the chorus of "Long Journey" -- "Oh this death, moment by moment, darker and darker, down and down, I feel your cold breath -- I feel your cold breath" -- can be taken as an application of the Buddhist injunction to face death and suffering at all times as it reminds us of the impermanence of the world, and points us toward liberation.

The lyric to "Earlier Baghdad (the bounce)" is open, I'm sure, to multiple interpretations, but I took the title as a hint -- try listening to it as an alternative speech Saddam might have given when he was apprehended. With that in mind, try listening to "Baby Don't Say You Love Me" with Iraq's Shiites singing it to America (or any number of other casualties of realpolitik in foreign policy). Honestly, this song should be a #1 radio hit!

T Bone closes with the stunning "Shaken Rattled and Rolled," a statement of his faith. Faith is something we need to get through these times. Though THE TRUE FALSE IDENTITY is dark, I find it inspiring. It is clearly one of the best records of the year and of the decade, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to all progressive people as we try to follow the Light through the darkness.

Thank you, T Bone! Let's put our shoulders to the Wheel, and keep it turning...

T Bone Burnett is one of the most influential musicians alive. This record is another testament to that. It is pure and direct. The first few songs are complex rhythmic numbers. "Palestine, Texas" is an early favorite here. A very clever song. Some of these songs have much in common with songwriters like Tom Waits and Randy Newman. There are few weird percussive tracks. "I'm Going On A Long Journey Never To Return" is another favorite. The second half of the record is quiet and more like spoken word poetry. This is one of my favorite records of the year.

I have read several of the previous reviews, some critical because this is not the T. Bone they expected. Others did not like it because they did not know what they were getting into, and described the album as "anti-music." When the Pokemon craze was big, my son used to demand $10.00 packs containing a few pieces of cardboard. He saw my distress, and quipped that I was just against "valuable" Pokemon cards. I told him that in fact, I did not like the whole Pokemon business. Gathering up all the disgust and condescension that a 7 year old can, he said: You don't like it because you don't _understand_ it."

For those that do not like this album, however, I will not condescend. Some people do not like his music. It is an acquired taste. But, like the river in Greek philosophy, you can't step into the same one twice. It changes. Not only does the river change--but you have changes. It's like saying, "I don't like Bob Dylan." Which one?

Mr. Burnett deals in "Big" issues and in Myth. His role in movie making is under-recognized. He taught Joaquin Phoenix to have the right kind of sneer for his Johnny Cash role, "Walk the Line." In fact, he pretty much did all of the things relating to the music and the visual aspects that related to music in the movie, down to the guitars on display at the German music shop when Cash was in the Air Force. And there is so much more: "O, Brother Where Art Thou", "Cold Mountain", etc.

What does this mean for the listener? It means that Mr. Burnett gets the details down perfectly. Listen to the music. Is it strange? Yes, at times. But it is exactly what Mr. Burnett intended. There are no mistakes.

"Zombieland" is a wired, unsettling tune. "There Would be Hell To Pay" reaches deep into the old Blues, full of death imagery.

"Every Time I Feel The Shift" contains the same kind of images: "When you're out for revenge dig two graves,
When you run from the truth it comes in waves."

And about Hollywood he says in another song: "Honesty is the most subversive of all disguises...Someone stole my identity, and I feel sorry for them." Another, reminiscent of Hunter S. Thompson, is "Fear Country." "Earlier Baghdad [The Bounce]" certainly references the present occupation:
I am not important,
I am a broken man,
Throw myself on your mercy,
You Who have wronged me.

"Blinded by the Darkness" certainly is referential to the Springsteen song, "Blinded by the Light."

Mr. Burnett, of course, has produced or been in charge of musical arrangement on a string of hit records, including Plant and Krauss' "Raising Sand." He is touring with them this summer, doing instrumentals for the singers. This must tell you something. They could get anyone. They chose Mr. Burnett.

For a trip into another dimension of word and song, Mr. Burnett's Twilight Zone is not to be missed.

You probably will not like this album when you first listen to it.

I didn't.

... and I literally own every record he's ever made. No kidding.... everything. I'm a huge T-Bone fan and have been since his Alpha Band days.

But this album is different than anything he's done before. Heck, it's different than anything I've ever heard before.

It's kind of genre-bending... it strikes me as either a kind of Texan folk rap or maybe it's just one of the best poetry slams ever. But it's not really folk music and it's not really rock and roll. He doesn't sing a melody in most of the songs... he raps. But this isn't hip-hop rap -- it's white guy rap.

Like with most innovative music, it took me awhile to figure out what he was even trying to do. It doesn't help that I don't really like most rap, because I like a melody to my music.

But I do like a good bluesy jam sessions and he does a lot of that behind his "rapping." Don't think normal rap, though. Burnett isn't trying at all to pretend he's a gangsta rapper -- not that he ever could pull it off!

Instead he "raps" about middle age liberal white guy stuff. Well, that me! So after a bunch of listenings, I figured out the album and now I really like it. It's not my favorite, all-time Burnett album but it is better than his average.

I am deducting one star because -- well -- this is simply not a five star album. Pioneering and brilliant? Yes. An all-time classic? No.

(I should add that my six year old daughter likes it too! I have no idea why. She also likes Raffi.)

So, should you buy this album?

If you're looking for "comfort zone" folk, rock and roll or even rap, you should probably look elsewhere.

If you're a free thinker and looking for something different and innovative -- then this is a CD for you. Who knows? This might be the start of a whole new genre of music and you can say you were on the first floor of the movement.