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Joan appears to be very much at home in a musical, spiritual, and
political sense on this album, the 24th studio recording of her now
50 year long career. This collection of 10 songs provides much for
the head & heart to think and feel.
With the use of only acoustic instruments, the album provides an echo
of Joan's early folk records. The difference in this record is how
diverse the ensemble of instruments is: guitar, mandolin, Hawaiian
guitar, resonator guitar, bouzouki, harmonium, tamboura, bass, drums,
tambourine, fiddle, Dobro, banjolin, and percussion. The musical
accompaniment provided by Steve Earle (also producer, & harmony
vocals), Tim O'Brien, Darrell Scott, Viktor Krauss, and Kenny Malone,
is one of the many highlights of this album.
The songs' timeless lyrics place it among Joan's most folk /
Americana oriented albums. The album contains a strong spiritual
thread, a topic Joan has touched upon from her earliest recordings.
The songs have been chosen from several different brilliant writers,
including Patty Griffin, Tom Waits / Kathleen Brennan, Thea Gilmore,
Eliza Gilkyson, Elvis Costello / T-Bone Burnett, Diana Jones, and
Steve Earle himself. It is amazing how Joan & company pull the work
of such a diverse group together so beautifully.
There are political themes touched upon in this record, including
anti-war sentiment. The topic is explored quite movingly, less
directly you might say than on Joan's earlier albums, through the
timeless (and timely) masterpiece compositions "Scarlet Tide", and
the album's title song "Day After Tomorrow". [Joan sings this alone,
with just herself on guitar, making the lyrics even more heart-
wrenching;]
Throughout the songs, Joan becomes a cast of personas in search of
hope, happiness, and home. [Joan appears to be quite happy herself in
the stunning CD booklet photos.]
"God is God" has the listener contemplating what it really means to
be a believer.
In "Rose of Sharon" the narrator finds happiness in the arms of a
lover.
In "Scarlet Tide" there is still a hopeful determination that we will
rise above the devastation of war. The young soldier writing home
in "Day After Tomorrow" (who very well may be a female soldier in
this non-gender specific song) yearns for home and the small
pleasures of "shoveling snow and raking leaves", and dreams each
night of holding the loved one being written to. It is a very moving
and empathetic rendition of this song.
A miner facing sure death in "Henry Russell's Last Words" ultimately
finds happiness and peace through love for his spouse & family, and a
saved soul.
In "I am a Wanderer" there is still hope among various characters
facing great obstacles in their lives. But, perhaps they are really
us, and us them, and realizing that may be the genesis of that hope,
and ultimately the action that will actually change their life
circumstances. This song was written the night before one of the
recording sessions. One cannot help but wonder how much of Joan and
Steve's lives are reflected in its caring concern for those less
fortunate.
"Mary" is perhaps the most fascinating song lyric-wise on the album.
I imagine the narrator walking through a museum viewing the various
paintings and sculptures in an exhibit about the biblical "Mary",
leading to a contemplation on her spiritual as well as worldlier
powers.
In "Requiem", a prayerful song, Mary is again addressed, being asked
to bring hope and happiness to those who have lost their homes and
loved ones. It is quite a moving song, originally written about the
Tsunami survivors, taking on new meaning with the Katrina tragedy.
But, it is also quite universal in that many of us, to one degree or
another, have had to face a "dark night of the soul". We may have
found ourselves as those "shattered dreamers", with broken hearts
that needed to be made whole. Joan's voice is especially effective on
this mournful plea of a song.
In "Lower Road" the "peaceful released" protagonist keeps "rolling
on", having had their "part to play" (in life), and now "going home"
(an afterlife perhaps).The song says that "we keep rolling on `cause
for every midnight hour there's always a rising sun".
With the closing song Joan and ensemble use only hand claps as they
walk down "Jericho Road" towards the end of the album's spiritual
journey. It may be describing the way our own life's journey will end
someday.
This well-produced album combines the talents of many into a
beautiful & moving composition. The combination of Joan's versatile &
touching vocal interpretation, well-written songs, and deft
musicianship, provides a soundtrack to help "illuminate the path
where we are going". That place may very well be home.
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