Joe Henry, Fuse (Mammoth) 9
After six albums of monochromatic folk and Jayhawks-assisted country-rock, it seemed that Joe Henry's career would forever remain as unassuming as his name. But on 1996's Trampolene,, he discovered something that rarely enters most country-folker's vocabulary - flamboyance. He broke from the roots-rock chains and covered Sly & the Family Stone, and assimilated noise guitar and opera singers Fuse continues those innovations and burns them into Henry's best, most complete artistic statement. Completely gone are his days of grinning and picking. On this album reveals a newfound love affair with the science of sound, strutting confidently with a lush, highly detailed production of urban soul and Lloyd Cole sheen. "Angels" boasts a squishy space organ and a funky Al Green rhythm track, as filtered through the Afghan Whigs, topped by surprising alto sax breaks by R.R. King. In a non-segregated music industry, this would have climbed the R&B charts. Many of the songs feature trip-hop rhythms that are used sparely enough to avoid tiresome cliches. "Way Too Much" sounds like a Blaxploitation soundtrack with Isaac Hayes strings and a Superfly wah-wah guitar, and a haunting clave courtesy of Daniel Lanois. The funk flows on with wriggly Parliament-style keyboards and synths on the instrumental "Curt Flood." The album peaks on "Beautiful Hat." With moving lyrics and sublime horn charts from the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, it may be Henry's loveliest song ever. His lyrics are consistently captivating, drawing the listener in to the astute character studies and stories. The album ends perfectly with the cabaret theater of "We'll Meet Again," which is pure Randy Newman.
