STEVE FORBERT – Steve Forbert – (Epic) – 1982

Poor Steve Forbert.

He was burdened with the title “the new Dylan” when his first LP was released in 1978.

Forbert’s specific attributes for the “new Dylan” title were his Americana shaggy troubadour persona, conversational lyrics with sophisticated wordplay, electric folk sound, neck harmonica and his striking raspy vocals.

Fair ‘nuff then.

Even the sleeves of his earlier albums are vaguely Dylan-esque. The headshot on this particular album is not dissimilar in tone to the headshots for Dylan LPs" "Bob Dylan", "The Times They are a – Changing" or "Blonde on Blonde"

The truth is, he, like many others, was influenced by Dylan. That and his similar sounding voice gave a record label or marketing area enough to impose a “new Dylan” title.

But, that is a mighty big weight to carry, and one that does one a disservice.

Other “new Dylans” have included John Prine, Steve Goodman, Bruce Springsteen, Will Oldham, Donovan, Elliott Murphy, Billy Bragg, Jon Allen, Loudon Wainwright III and yes even Dylan’s son Jakob Dylan. There have been many less famous ones also.

The hype of being saddled with the “new Dylan” moniker has killed careers quicker than the occasional bad album.

The reason being, err, there is only one Bob Dylan.

Some have transcended the tag, others haven’t but Forbert’s particular problem at the time was an (apparently) relentless marketing pitch describing him as the “new Dylan”.

The way to transcend the tag is of course to keep on recording.

Forbert has.

The Dylanesque inspirations are still there but Forbert has shown himself to be quite individual and broad in his musical palette. He may have been influenced by Dylan but he also is, clearly, fond of the same source music as Dylan.

And anyway, maybe the “new Dylan” tag was a blessing initially because it got him noticed.

Fuck it …. it’s better to be called the “new Dylan”  that it is to be called the “new George Michael” or the “new Michael Jackson”

Bio from http://mswritersandmusicians.com/musicians/steve-forbert.html

Forbert was born in 1955 in Meridian, Mississippi, and grew up there. At the age of ten, Steve Forbert began playing the guitar and, as he said in a recent interview, "for me playing guitar means singing." Forbert comments that, during high school, he "gave up an interest in art work and drawing to move more into music". Later, Forbert attended junior college for a few years. He then got a job as a truck driver at White’s Auto Store, but lost it when the store went out of business. Forbert was a member of several different bands from 1965 to 1975. One such band was Puddin’ Head Wilson, which got its name from a Mark Twain story and which Forbert played with in 1972. However, his next step toward becoming a professional musician he took alone.

In 1976, at age twenty-one, Forbert travelled to New York City by himself, taking with him his harmonica and his guitar. Living in a room at the YMCA on 23rd Street, working odd day jobs, and playing at night for spare change at Grand Central Station, Forbert began his career. On his way up, he graduated from busking to audition night to playing at clubs. Forbert opened regularly for bands like Talking Heads and musicians like John Cale, receiving praise from both critics and audiences. Finally getting a recording contract with Nemperor Records, Forbert began to release albums

Forbert’s first album, Alive on Arrival” (1978) was a corker. “Jackrabbit Slim” (1979) wasn’t as strong but was successful (#20 in the US) and carried his most well known song “Romeo’s Tune” (#11 US). “Little Stevie Orbit” (1980) didn’t do well and neither did this album, his fourth.

Those first two albums I played to death in the early to mid 80s. The third, not as much, and this one has sat in the pile of LPs behind me for quite some time.

I have a couple of his later albums and there has been a return to form, albeit low key. There is nothing flashy in them but they are compelling because Forbert is so secure in his musicality and is clearly enjoying the music as a job ride. Luckily, his music is, even when unsuccessful, consistently interesting.

Unfortunately, to the masses, he is a former “new Dylan” with one hit song. If he had come 10 years later he would have been revered as a roots rocker. If he had come 20 years later he would have been an alt country superstar. – either way fans of those genres should embrace him.

This album, though criticised, is quite eclectic and interesting. Forbert leans to singer songwriter electric folk rock with a splash of country but he also, clearly, loves 60s pop and soul. Here, that love is exemplified by a cover of  the Jackie DeShannon “When You Walk in the Room” as well as southern deep soul type sounds on some of his originals. It is to his credit that he manages to keep those songs contemporary (1982) without sounding cheap and artificial. The album also has some Springsteen-ish themes (circa 1975) and some (almost) straight contemporary country.

Does that mean that this album kicks goals?

Yes, but only in part.

The music is well crafted but not studied and there is a certain raggety-ness around the edges which is endearing. More often than not the lyrics and melodies are memorable but some of the instrumentation tends to the MOR and is quite bland – if the album were, perhaps, a little more rootsy or underground I think it would date better.

Also, Forbert’s Southern voice is quite an awkward instrument (like Dylan’s) but he uses it with such naked intimacy and with some quirky phrasing that it becomes an effective tool in putting across emotion in precise terms.

That, combined with his clear love and knowledge of his musical inspirations and his superior songwritingm, creates some good music.

Tracks (best in italics)

• He’s Gotta Live up to His Shoes – A Springsteen-ish tale of strutting your way through the urban jungle
• Ya Ya (Next to Me) – funky (horns and all) MOR Motown-ish type of number as if done by Springsteen (again). It’s enthusiastically done.
• When You Walk in the Room  – I’m not sure if Forbert’s gravel voice suits this song but he sings it with such conviction, and it’s such a good song, that it works.
• Listen to Me – a mid tempo MOR ballad with some perceptive lyrics about relationship disharmony.
• Oh So Close (And Yet So Far Away)   – a country-ish lament about a lost love. What at first seems like country corn becomes country MOR magic which captures just the right emotional pitch. Not unlike a Mickey Newbury song. Excellent.

I stood listening to those chapel bells

Trying to tell myself it’s just as well

Watching you walking down the aisle that day

Oh so close and yet so far away

• You’re Darn Right – a bouncy country rave up.
• Prisoner of Stardom  – a MOR ballad about fame ….I don’t know who it’s about or if it is about anyone specifically.
• On the Beach   – another Springsteen-ish song circa 1976 ….
• Lost   – a slow southern soul ballad with lots of atmosphere. Again, clearly Forbert loves this music – it is part of his musical background – but it doesn’t really suit his voice. He does try hard though and it comes off better than it should.
• It Takes a Whole Lotta Help (To Make It on Your Own) –  a country-ish rave up with an admittedly great title …
• Beautiful Diana  – as good as any (and probably better) MOR ballad from the 80s. The lyric is gently subversive.

And …

The album is a bit all over the place. It’s not the best Steve Forbert I have but it’s good enough to keep, so I’m keeping it.

Chart Action

US

Singles

1982 Ya Ya (Next To Me)  Mainstream Rock #54

Album

1982 Steve Forbert  The Billboard 200 #159

England

Singles

Album

—

Sounds

When You Walk in the Room  

Video clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qpo1zaMjnB8

Oh So Close (And Yet So Far Away)  

Attached

Oh So Close (and yet so far away) 

Others

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yE79UxDu7Xc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eu_oTh04u3c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TwwoYXCexk

Review

http://www.allmusic.com/album/steve-forbert-mw0000850138

Bio

http://www.allmusic.com/artist/steve-forbert-mn0000752673

http://beingtheremag.com/archives/content/0502/forbert.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Forbert

http://mswritersandmusicians.com/musicians/steve-forbert.html

Website

http://www.steveforbert.com/

Trivia

• wikipedia: On the comparison to Dylan, Forbert said, "You can’t pay any attention to that. It was just a cliche back then, and it’s nothing I take seriously. I’m off the hook — I don’t have to be smarter than everybody else and know all the answers like Bob Dylan."
• wikipedia: Forbert has a cameo appearance in Cyndi Lauper’s "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" video, playing her boyfriend.