Whatever Mortal

Papa M | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 11, 2001)
• Original Release Date: 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Drag City
• ASIN: B00005R5L5
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #271,524 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, September 14, 2003

By 

David "David" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Whatever Mortal (Audio CD)

Papa M's earlier work seemed a little unininspired, Live From a Shark Cage had some great melodies but it was more or less just noodling. 'Sings' sounded like Pajo was struggling to find his feet, an indie/experimental rocker basically trying his hand at folk in a genre exercise. Somewhere between that EP and this album though, Pajo must have aged about 50 years and walked down an awful lot of dusty roads, because now he sounds like the real deal. To be honest, I wasn't expecting as much from this album as it ended up providing. I read some reviews and was expecting a skillful 'alt-country' style album, but Papa M really ends up adding quite a lot to the genre, and manages to sound unique. The occasional piece of quirky or self-referential humour, for instance the jokey title, and that infamous couplet on 'sorrow reigns' really only add to the authenticity of the album; it's not pretending to be ye olde dusty folk-rock, it's just the music that Dave Pajo wants to play, and he plays it with feeling, honesty, and skill. Highlights are Beloved Woman, Sorrow Reigns, Krusty, Purple Eyelid, and the closer 'Northwest Passage,' an update on the timeless and beautiful melody Pajo apparently stumbled over by accident, and used in the 'Arundel' tracks on the previous album. Very highly recommended.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pajo continues to impress, April 24, 2003

By 

Robert K. Olendorf "geljockey" (Urbana, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Whatever Mortal (Audio CD)

I have been following David Pajo's career for a while now, through Slint, Stereolab, Tortoise and Zwan. Given the variety of music in those lineups, I wasn't sure what to expect and I'm glad I didn't. Papa M has put out a starkly beautiful country/folk CD featuring Pajo on most of the instruments plus an impressive lineup of collaborators. I don't generally like country, but I love this.

The first, "Over Jordan" track sets the tone. Pajo's banjo and deadpan but effective voice evoke a darkness and despair. The lyrics while poetic are not opaque.

The next thre tracks, "Beloved Woman, Roses in the Snow and Sorrow Reigns" speak eloquently of unrequited love, lost loves etc. The song writing and musicianship both vie for equal attention.

Just when Papa M has put you in the deepest of despair, Krusty, a nice little interlude makes for a timely change of pace.

The lowest point for me on this CD is "Love is a many splendored thing" just doesn't seem to fit.

If you like Leonard Cohen, Wilco or the like then this CD is for you. If you were definitely looking for Slint, Tortoise and so on, you won't get it here.

4.0 out of 5 stars Hm..., January 18, 2008

By 

Steven M. Fregeau "Professional Idiot" (Mid-freakin'-west) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Whatever Mortal (Audio CD)

I would review this CD by saying that it put me in a droll funk. Cool.
I always wondered what that would be like. Now I know. Papa M's got the power.
Tres Cool, and so forth. What is specially impressive about him, to me, is that he does what I want to do, and in so doing, I think, he provides something for me to relate to. Not that all of my relationships and friendships end in revenge, mistrust or misery. But it's a nice catharsis (for me) to think that they have. Hallelujah. Rock on, Mr. Pajo. Or strumm on, at least.

And by the way, the numbered singles and "Three Songs" are, in my opinion, the best. So if you've got a hankerin' for some down-in-the-dumps weird-o folk music(Black is the Colour, Rainbow of Gloom, Red Curtains, Long May you Burn), or rocking power-driven sountrack anthems (O Kentucky, Local Boy makes Good) get those!