Joe Henry Civilians CD

CIVILIANS, Joe Henry's second album for Anti- and tenth overall, sees him mastering the recipe he has tangled with throughout his impressive career: a pan-American vision that dabbles with almost every early-20th-century genre from torch songs to folk; from ragtime to the blues. He brings spacious, but effecting arrangements and an incisive, dry wit to a song cycle that finds the common links between Brian Wilson and Nick Cave. The album features the legends Bill Frisell and Van Dyke Parks on guitar and keyboards respectively.

Audio Mixer: Ryan Freeland.

Liner Note Author: Joe Henry.

Recording information: 01/09/2007-02/22/2007.

Photographers: Michael "Mick" Wilson; John Cohen.

Personnel: Joe Henry (acoustic guitar, hand claps); Bill Frisell (acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Greg Leisz (acoustic guitar, lap steel guitar, mandolin); Eric Gorfain, Daphne Chen (violin); Leah Katz (viola); Richard Dodd (cello); Patrick Warren (piano, pump organ, chamberlin); Van Dyke Parks (piano); David Piltch (upright bass, electric bass); Jay Bellerose (drums, percussion); Loudon Wainwright III, Chris Hickey (background vocals).

Additional personnel: Van Dyke Parks, Bill Frisell.

Spin (p.104) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "A skilled genre-hopper, Henry chooses to nestle in a weary, blues-inflected groove, delivering clear-eyed tales about regret, America, and Willie Mays -- sometimes all at once..."
Entertainment Weekly (p.149) - "CIVILIANS matches Henry's rough croon with a rich, warm sound that instantly draws you into its sonic world." -- Grade: A
Q (p.98) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "[H]is songwriting has expanded to incorporate blues, jazz and more esoteric stylings....Expertly crafted and comfortable..."
Uncut (p.121) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "Henry's 10th album is a sharper affair. Stripped to earthy Beat-jazz, with elements of swamp blues and gospel..."
Down Beat (p.85) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "This is one of his most direct, restrained albums in years.....Henry's gorgeous, distinctive voice has always managed to split the difference between blue-eyed soul and country twang."
Dirty Linen (p.76) - "The songs echo a sepia-toned photograph in feel and texture, with no wild changes to take you away from the stories Henry has crafted with exquisite detail and care."
No Depression (p.94) - "Henry's latest is a roomier affair, removing its predecessor's feverish layer of free-jazz woodwinds and horns in favor of naked clarity and contemplative space."