Customer Reviews

Where Shall You Take Me?

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

On the Jurado scale, definitely a 5. This is the third Jurado album I own and the best. Of particular note to me are Omaha and Abilene. Abilene and Window could have been on the "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou" soundtrack. They're anachronistic, but in a fresh way. If you get my meaning. Intoxicated hands almost sounds Beck-ish, and Texas to Ohio manages to sound like a sort-of sequel to Abilene while stylistically moves a century-plus ahead. Just a great, imaginitive, brilliantly produced album that is not only the best of the bunch but is also possibly the most accessible to new listeners.

If you're a Jurado fan, this is yet another record you're not going to be able to keep out of your player. If you're not a Jurado fan, give this one a few listens and you will be. There are a couple tracks on this disc ("Abilene" and "Windows") that one could almost pass off as rearrangements of traditional appalachian folk tunes, or at least old bluegrass standards, but with a twist, in the form of that trademark Damien Jurado genius simplicity. "Texas to Ohio" is a tune that should be playing on every decent radio station in the country right now, and will surely please all who were fans of the rockin', hook-laden, full band sound of "I Break Chairs". This guy hasn't disappointed me yet.

This is one record that you can't keep out of your mind. When your away from the album all you want to do is come back and play it over and over again. It is a truly amazing record. Jurado has put together one fine record. Easily one of the best that has come out this year.

This album by Damien Jurado reminds me of the work of Jose Gonzalez, M. Ward and Josh Ritter, or what you might call "new folk." It's an excellent collection of music, and Damien Jurado demonstrates his ability as a songwriter to use the spaces between lyrics as effectively as a turn of phrase.

The album does a great job of making diverse songs (the upbeat "Matinee" is a world apart from "Intoxicated Hands" and the haunting "Amateur Night") seem to fit together the spaces of forgotten Americana like a Cormac McCarthy novel.

Unfortunately, this album doesn't break new ground musically or lyrically. In fact, the new album by Iron & Wine and Calexico ("In the Reins") sounds very similar. For examples of the finest in the genre, check out Lucinda Williams' "Car Wheels on a Gravel Road", or the work of the late, great Johnny Cash.

jurado goes back to the stripped down version of his songs and it pays off nicely. although it lacks the heartache that ghost of david had, it gives us jurado fans 10 great songs; each dripping with the that trademark sweet jurado sadness. where shall he take us next? it really doesn't matter as long as he's at the wheel.

Gourgous record by an unsung folk hero. Jurado's spooky soundscapes, although obviously reminiscent of Will Oldham ("Tether," one of the minor songs here, sounds remarkably like an Oldham b-side) and Jason Molina, also lean on older giants like Johnny Cash and of course Neil Young. But Jurado has a firm grasp on the genre and this is a very impressive record, balancing pure folk like "Omaha," "Abilene," and "Window," which would fit very nicely on a Carter Family album, with distorted guitar workups like the striking "Texas to Ohio." While Jurado has a "dark side" ably evidenced in "Intoxicated Hands," it is his sweet songs that endear me to his work. In this vein, "Matinee" is a stunner, unaffected, dare I say innocent, hummable, an unforgettably simple song about a great American pastime ("we come down about twice a week/ to put our feet on theatre seats/ admission's cheap and the soda's free/ well my best friend's girl works the ticket stand/ when the boss is gone she gets us in/ we all see the matinee, hey hey hey"). While Jurado may not have made an album with the depths as Oldham's Joya, he sounds more genuine than the Bonnie Prince, and even though when you learn that Jurado was born and bred in Seattle, his appropriation of the American rural music idiom seems totally genuine, and his skill in the genre is unquestionable.

Where Shall You Take Me is an album that only comes along every once in a while and just manages to insert itself into your life in a way that few can. it is absolutely a must have, no questions asked. i can't believe that Jurado is still such a well kept secret- he has made wonderful albums before this one ('Rehearsals For Departure' comes to mind), and his latest, 'On My Way To Absence' is great, too, but there is something about the deep melancholy of this record that reminds me how painful and beautiful music can be.

This is a good album and Abilene is in my opinion one of his best songs. Even still, if I had to compare it to his others I would put this one at the bottom of the pile. If your a fan you'll love it.

There are so many great songs on this album. So easy to listen to this end-to-end. Deep meaning, full sound, typical Jurado album.

This is his finest collection of songs on an album in my opinion. The only one I don't appreciate is the first song. After that the next 6+ songs are bliss. I saw him last weekend (may 2009) at the crocodile in Seattle, probably the sixth or seventh time I have had the pleasure. He is kicking off a tour promoting his newer album, not as impressive in my opinion, but played a great crosscut of songs from the last decade plus. His body of work is fantastic, I would highly recommend him in general; and this album, along with rehearsals for departure, and I break chairs. It is still surprising to me that he has not been commercialized and made famous for his great style of folk.