Airdream Believer started out as a career retrospective and reconsideration by
John Stewart, devoted to his own songs plus a few he really dug (like
Johnny Cash's
"Get Rhythm" and
Billy Edd Wheeler's
"The Reverend Mr. Black"), before it turned into something more. The music dates back, in some cases, to his days with
the Kingston Trio, performed with
Johnny Cash,
Rosanne Cash,
Nanci Griffith,
Sara Hickman, and his former
Kingston Trio bandmates
Nick Reynolds and
Bob Shane.
Stewart is in excellent voice throughout, a husky baritone closer in spirit to
Bruce Springsteen than to
the Kingston Trio; the mix of songs is quirky enough, and the reconsiderations of the songs fresh enough, to prevent this from being a mere exercise in nostalgia.
"Lost Her in the Sun," "Midnight Wind" (with
Rosanne Cash on the harmonies), and a moody
"Daydream Believer" (with
Griffith) are major highlights, but the entire recording is worthwhile, and the presence of the guest artists is not just a gimmick. ~ Bruce Eder