Joe Henry - Scar

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Music reviews of Scar

Music Review: A masterpiece - best album of 2001.
Rating: 5 Stars

Both Craig Street and Joe Henry played significant parts in making "Bitter" my favorite album of 1999 - and depending on what day of the week it is - my favorite album of all time. The production by Craig Street, and the gift of Joe Henry's vocals on the track "Wasted Time" still makes my head spin.

[...]

Within moments of the first song, you hear producer Craig Street's influence. "Scar" is stripped down. It's a musician's album. Ornette Coleman is an incredible addition. While listening to the track "Richard Pryor Addresses A Tearful Nation," I found my eyes closed, typing this... With every note blown, I'm left wondering why you don't hear more horns in today's R&B. A fabulous track. I can totally see Joe doing the soundtrack to a film by Robert Altman, Spike Lee, Steven Soderbergh... The lyrics for the track, are heartbreaking.

"Mean Flower" is just gorgeous. As with every track on BITTER, I find myself thinking how certain songs can't possibly be better than this. Is that Marc Ribot on guitar? When "Struck" starts, I began wondering if Joe knew Craig before he came to add the vocals to "Wasted Time." Wondering if, Joe was around the studio when they were recording other tracks on "Bitter." Thinking to himself: 'This is what I want my next album to be like. Just bring in the best musicians, and make the best album we can. Craig will keep us on track...' Because that's exactly what happened on "Scar."

It's funny, I realized the only song I haven't written about yet was the 2nd track, "Stop." Comical because that's the huge hit song that Joe wrote for his sister-in-law Madonna. (Differently titled as "Don't Tell Me".) I didn't even recognize it... Oh my. There's Me'Shell. "Rough And Tumble." Mmm. What bassline is that? I've heard it before... This feels like a guilty pleasure. Like I'm sitting in the next room while they're recording this. The playing back and forth between the Marc Ribot and Me'Shell reminds me of "The Heather Hunter Theme." I'm waiting for her to go "Damn, you're funky Marc."

"Lock And Key" starts, and I find myself waiting for Joni to start singing. But before you realize it, the mellowness of the track has pulled you in, and it's over...
"Nico Lost One Small Buddha," and Me'Shell is back in the mix. It's unlike anything I've heard her be a part of on record. Wait a minute. Is there a mastering error? Am I listening to Miles? Okay. I'm waiting to hear his trumpet. Mmm, there are the horns. I knew they were coming in at some point. Just beautiful. Wow! What a great instrumental track! Sigh. Okay. I have to listen to that one again, because it's over way too soon. I love this song... This is why Me'Shell is always talking about doing an instrumental album. My first complaint about the album, and it's not really even a complaint. That song should've gone at least 15 minutes, damn it :) Okay, Craig. Take it back in, and put the unedited jam as a hidden track #11... Maybe if Joe comes up towards Seattle, the song will be longer in concert. Okay, I'm better now...

"Cold Enough To Cross" is musically very much like a cross between Sting's take on Gershwin's "Someone To Watch Over Me," and Prince's "Do U Lie." It forces you to just focus on the delicate vocals, he delivers the emotional punch of the track wonderfully. It's now that I realize that I've always listened to the music first when listening to a new album for the first time. Listening to this track for the third time, I've realized that I'm now a fan of Joe Henry's, and not just his work on "Bitter"...

"Edgar Bergen" follows. Who's Edgar Bergen? "I just sit upon her knee and wait for the whole world to change. Any minute now." Is that Stephen Barber on strings again? Unbelievable track. It's the strings that stand out on this track, and the hook. What a brilliant song. This album is going to be on a lot of people's top ten lists at the end of the year...

Ooh. A hidden track, starting at 7 minutes into the album's title track, "Scar." There's Ornette again. Now, a full 7 minutes later, I'm blown away again. I'm reminded of riding the BART in San Francisco, moving along the tracks. Maybe it's a dream. Lights flickering in the car, and, 7 minutes of Ornette Coleman playing. How generous is that? And must I mention that most hidden tracks are garbage? Throwaways, etc. The best one I've ever heard was Prince's "Wasted Kisses." This one is the only one that's ever come close to it.

[...]My interest in buying it when I first heard that Me'Shell and him were working together was there. Now, I'm more interested in buying it because it's the same type of musical statement Me'Shell made with "Bitter." Both artists, making great music by showing us themselves. Again, the best album I've heard so far this year. A masterpiece.

Description of Scar

Alternative Rock CDs

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• Rock