REVIEW : Come To Where I'm From - Brainwashed

JOSEPH ARTHUR, "COME TO WHERE I'M FROM"

Jason Olariu 

Following up his "Vacancy" mini album from last year, Joseph Arthur returns to the scene a bit wiser.
Lacking a lot of the sound experimentation featured on his debut album, "Big City Secrets", the theme of "Come To Where I'm From" seems to be perfecting the art of song craft. 

Beginning with the bittersweet acoustic-led "In The Sun", which has been a long-time live favorite of Joe's fans and was also recorded by his mentor/label boss Peter Gabriel for a Princess Di tribute album, I had a bad feeling J.A. has gone soft and has given up his cutting edginess for more AOR-driven pop balladeering. 

"Chemical" and "History", with their flickering sounds fluttering around the song's jangly pop heart like butterfly wings of distortion, are refreshing reminders that no matter how radio-friendly Joe gets, he's still head-and-shoulders above most of his pop-driven peers. Giving further props to Tom Waits, such as "Bottle Of Me" from "Big City Secrets", "Invisible Hands" is a late-night lovers lament, with it's big drums, echoey guitar, and whispered vocals - personal, sensual, and enticing. 

"Come To Where I'm From" is, essentially, both homage to the genius of the late Jeff Buckley and a promise to carry on in the creation of ecstatic, groundbreaking music. 

Beautifully honest and sublime.