New American Language

Dan Bern

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.com Sales Rank: #149,500 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
"If you judge me tonight, judge me by the songs I write," Dan Bern sings in "Black Tornado," thus serving notice that he's sick of the comparisons to various iconic songsters. Bern has never suffered from a lack of ambition, tackling pop culture and personal foibles alike with fervor and an utter disregard for taboo. Bern takes on similar subjects here, but backed by a five-piece folk-rock combo and warmly produced by Chuck Plotkin (the Dylan and Springsteen vet who presided over Bern's 1993 debut), he strips away the sophomoric gags and cloying cleverness that have plagued his past. Only the title track falls for the easy, ironic cop-out (key lyric: "OK, I guess, whatever"). Cuts like "Turning Over" ("I can't find me one new leaf worth turning over") and "Albuquerque Lullaby" ("Don't let your heart get broken by this world") come off heartfelt and unforced. And while much of New American Language finds Bern mellowing into a newfound maturity, he's still happy to poke holes in hype and hypocrisy. "Toledo" offers wry tribute to "The Church of the Holy McDonald's," while the freewheeling "Alaska Highway" sucker-punches everyone from Eminem to God. --Anders Smith Lindall

Product Description
'New American Language' captures Bern in full-band mode, leading a propulsive five-piece through his finest set of songs yet. The combo injects a manic energy into the songs that makes their unique take on Americana come alive. These songs careen from one coast to the other, like the van he coaxes to each festival and show, finding new angles, new niches, and new modes of expression along the way. (Messenger Records)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

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

By	Rob Damm (Brick, NJ USA) - See all my reviews

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.

9 of 9 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)

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!!!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dan Rocks, November 21, 2001

By	audra beauchamp (North Carolina) - See all my reviews

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!!!