speed of dark

Prolific to a fault, artist, songwriter, record label owner, and leader of the Lonely Astronauts (when does this guy sleep?), Joseph Arthur closes 2008 by adding a full-length CD, Temporary People, to the four EPs divided between earlier months. Not that he has stopped writing--oh no! Check out "Change Has Come," a song that salutes the Obama victory, on his MySpace page.

Maybe the gush of small releases provided an outlet for some of his weirder products so that fewer of them made it to the full-length, and if so, I'm happy about that. I've been waiting for a worthy follow-up to 2000's punch-in-the-heart Come To Where I'm From, and Temporary People is the closest since Our Shadows Will Remain (2004). Last year's Let's Just Be did not speak to me, but I get Temporary People. Arthur's strong spiritual beliefs provide a solid foundation for the song themes and lyrics that run through the entire album. I never really heard before how much his music owes to the Rolling Stones, but their influence shines through every song.

Arthur is Mick Jagger and Keith Richards rolled into one, with his sassy, drawling delivery and his assured, muscular guitar work. The Lonely Astronauts back him superbly, and I like how effectively he chooses whether to use the ladies (Jen Turner and Sibyl Buck) voices or male vocals (Kraig Jarret Johnson), or a blend of all, to offset his own voice. I'm much happier that he uses his falsetto more as an accent in these songs. It gets kind of creepy when he sings entire songs in that voice.

The title track tells of all the different personalities inside ourselves that we use to cope with life's stresses and musically allows Arthur space to fill with his fantastic guitarwork. In "Faith" Arthur testifies that even if everything were taken away from him, he would still have the most important thing: his faith in himself. "Look Into the Sky" is a peppy reminder that God is always available when everyone else lets you down.

On "Heart's a Soldier," Turner and Buck make a gospel chorus behind the lowest notes I have ever heard Arthur sing. You really hear the Stones' influence on the blues-soul number "Turn You On" and then again on the raucous rock of "Winter Blades." "Good Friend" is an affirmation of Arthur's affection for a friend as well as a showcase for his authoritative lead guitar. But my favorite of the whole bunch is "Sunrise Dolls," where Arthur whips a frenzy of a solo out of that guitar. I first heard this live over a year ago and have played it over and over from the double CD that was made of that concert.

I'm walkin' through the city to survive
I'm alive, I'm alive, I'M ALIVE!

Joseph Arthur and the Lonely Astronauts: Sunrise Dolls from Temporary People (2008)
Joseph Arthur: Echo Park from Our Shadows Will Remain (2004)

Walkin' with you down through Echo Park,
The ghosts fillin' the trees,
The fire never understands the spark
The way it is with you and me

Joseph Arthur: Speed of Light from Come To Where I'm From (2000)

MySpace | Website | Label: Lonely Astronaut Records
Buy at Joseph Arthur's Store, iTunes, Amazon.com, and eMusic

Photo in Joseph Arthur's MOMAR art gallery by Danny Clinch