Redemption's Son

by Joseph Arthur

Overview

Though time had passed since his Real World apprenticeship, the Peter Gabriel influence looms larger than ever on Joseph Arthur's third release. In particular, Redemption's Son achieves a sophisticated marriage of traditional songwriting craft and avant-garde production, a combination that guides Gabriel's best work as well. The singer/songwriter foundation is clearer with Arthur, however; many of these tracks grow from a bedrock of acoustic guitar and vocals, with gauzy electronics shimmering across the surface rather than glistening within the fabric of the tune. Aside from a few inspired images, such as his admission that "I've been so happy being unhappy with you" in "Favorite Girl," Arthur's writing is steady and workmanlike; by giving prominent position to lines like "I wish I could follow you to the shore of freedom," from "Honey and the Moon," he tends to build in the verses toward slightly disappointing resolutions in the choruses. Even so, the sonic range achieved on these tracks, ranging from a filmy folk-rock evocation on "Dear Lord" to the collision of "Strawberry Fields" Mellotron and Duane Eddy twang on "I Would Rather Hide," suggests that Arthur may have even more promise as a producer than as an artist in years to come. ~ Robert L. Doerschuk

Product Details

Release Date:	06/23/2017
Label:	Real World Records
UPC:	0884108005583
Rank:	68912

Tracks

Disc 1

1. Redemption's Son
2. Honey and the Moon
3. You Could Be In Jail
4. I Would Rather Hide
5. Innocent World
6. September Baby
7. Nation of Slaves
8. Evidence

Disc 2

9. Buy a Bag
10. Termite Song
11. Permission
12. Favorite Girl
13. You Are the Dark
14. In the Night
15. Blue Lips
16. You've Been Loved

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Joseph Arthur   Primary Artist,Bass,Drums,Piano,Guitar,Vocals,Dulcimer,Harmonica,Synthesizer,Fretless Bass,Sound Effects,Hammer Dulcimer,Moog Synthesizer,Vocals (Background)
Ben Findlay   Vocals (Background)
Ben Perowsky   Drums
Greg Wiz   Drums,Vocals (Background)
Dave Power   Drums
Ged Lynch   Drums
Cyro Baptista   Percussion
Rene Lopez   Percussion
Nadia Lanman   Cello
Rene Lopez II   Percussion
Pat Sansone   Bass,Organ,Guitar,Mellotron,Percussion,Piano (Electric),Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background)
Cyro Baptiste   Percussion

Technical Credits

Tchad Blake   Mixing,Engineer,Producer
Bob Ludwig   Mastering
Ben Findlay   Mixing,Engineer,Producer
Joseph Arthur   Artwork,Composer,Engineer,Producer,Sculpture,Programming,Natural Sounds
Roger Moutenot   Engineer,Producer
Claire Lewis   Assistant,Mixing Assistant
Mike Napolitano   Engineer,Producer
Marco Migliari   Assistant,Mixing Assistant
Zachary Larner   Package Design
Pat Sansone   Producer