In Case You Missed It: The Music of Joe Henry

Here is the latest installment of an occasional series here at Tone Marrow, for now titled, “In Case You Missed…[It/Them/Her/Him],” in which I try to highlight an artist, band, record, or some other thing which I fear may not have gotten as much attention as it should have. Today, I highlight a musician, Joe Henry, who  has not gained the attention he deserves.

How, oh, how, did I make it this long without hearing about the great Joe Henry? Josh Hurst of The Hurst Review introduced me to Joe Henry this year, though I like to think I would have discovered him on my own eventually. Perhaps its the name; “Joe Henry” that kept him from my attention for so long–it certainly is not the most memorable or note-worthy name. Yet, with talent this big, it shouldn’t matter if his name were simply “John” or “Bob,” Joe Henry’s music really ought to be heard. Mr. Henry began his career as a country music singer/songwriter in the late eighties and early nineties. But it was in the late nineties, when Henry began to experiment with other styles and genres that his musical genius began to really shine forth and he has broken new ground on each of his albums of the last decade.

Not only does Henry spend time writing, performing, and producing his own records, he has also become quite the producer for others in recent years, working with Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint, Susan Tedeschi, Bettye LaVette (helping resurrect her career in the process), Loudon Wainwright III, Rodney Crowell, and others. He has clearly demonstrated his penchant for bringing the best out of those he works with–revealing that his  talents for producing are equal to those of his songwriting and performing–making him a dangerous triple threat. So, I highly recommend looking into the works of Joe Henry. Though I have heard five of his records, let me describe the three with which I am the most familiar (these just so happen to be his three most recent records).

Scar (2001)

Scar opens with what might be my favorite song by Henry, a slow, creeping elegy called “Richard Pryor Addresses a Tearful Nation,” which stretches over the six minute mark and features a spine-tingling alto saxophone played by legendary free jazz innovator, Ornette Coleman. The way Henry delivers the lyrics in his mournful, smokey voice adds another layer to the funereal tone of the song. Were the rest of this record merely white noise, it would still be worth the price just for this number. Fortunately, the rest of the album is far from white noise. The songs spill into each other highlighting the textural and thematic connections these songs share. The whole album comes to a close with the title track, a moving, haunting song that serves as an appropriate bookend and balance with the opener. “Scar” is certainly the only track that rivals the opener in music and words, though there really isn’t a bad song in the bunch. It’s a record that explores heartache and the human experience as few other records have and it continues to dazzle with each listen. It slowly opens up upon each spin, inviting the listener in a little further, revealing its beauty over time, not completely unlike a “mean flower.” Rating: 4.0/5.0

Tiny Voices (2003)

There is a clear sense of movement and progression from Scar to 2003’s Tiny Voices. Henry wisely carries over the jazz elements from Scar but gives them much more prominence on this record. Nearly every track makes use of a small, jazzy horn section in the background. Also, the tendency for songs to spill into each other on Scar is used brilliantly on Tiny Voices. The entire record feels like one piece, one unified body as each song flows gracefully into the next. The horns add a thick atmosphere to the record as they move and breathe behind Henry’s guitars and piano. At times, the horns dabble into the traditions of jazz fusion and free jazz adding a sense of foreboding chaos–but always at exactly the right moments, when the emotional peaks of the words and music are at their highest. AllMusic’s Thom Jurek describes this record as “the sound of Hemingway contemplating the Cuban Revolution with William Gaddis, the sound of Buddy DeFranco and Jimmy Giuffre trying to talk to Miles Davis about electric guitars in an abandoned yet fully furnished Tiki bar in Raymond Chandler’s Los Angeles.” Though I understand the sentence, it still bewilders me–yet, on one level that description with its literary, musical, and cultural references captures perfectly the essence of a record with the grand musical scope, thematic depth, and haunting beauty of Tiny Voices. There are probably only a few records with as much depth and texture as Tiny Voices–and those elements are not wasted here as Henry crafts a record that is so beautifully complex, it can be returned to countless times only to be found as fresh as it was on the first listen. Rating: 5.0/5.0

Civilians (2007)

On 2007’s Civilians, Henry leaves behind the haunting horns of Tiny Voices in favor of a stripped down sound that keeps the focus on voice, piano, and guitar. Henry’s songwriting is stellar on this record–though the songs seem deceptively simple they never become tiring or stale, but attain almost a timeless, fresh quality about them. It was brilliant for Henry to juxtapose the complex landscapes and atmosphere of Tiny Voices with the open air and bare bones of Civilians as they sit side-by-side in Henry’s oeuvre. While Tiny Voices brings the listener back with its seemingly endless depths, Civilians brings the listener back because of its accessibility and simple, gorgeous melodies. The two records create a one-two punch that stand nearly insurmountable. Though, Civilians may sound naked compared to Tiny Voices on the first listen, it really has just as much, if not more, lyrical weight. One benefit of the simpler songs is the added focus that is placed on the words. Nearly every song on Civilians makes mention of God and explores the ways that humans relate to one another and to their Creator. Another artist whose lyrics often focus on God and Christianity (to the point of obsession) is Nick Cave. Cave seems to be haunted by God and Christ. He often questions the very existence and personality of an absolute personal being like God as well as the tenets of Christianity, yet, Mr. Cave cannot seem to stop writing songs about these subjects. Joe Henry certainly does not fall in that category–he is not trying to prove or disprove God in these songs, but merely trying to explore the reality of a life that involves both God and mankind. The record is almost a meditation on these subjects, and it provides an unforgettable listen. Rating: 5.0/5.0

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Do yourself a favor and look into the works of Joe Henry, specifically the three records mentioned above and keep an eye out for future work from this brilliant musician.