SOUNDTRACK: JOHN PAUL WHITE-Live at the Newport Folk Festival (July 29, 2017).
I don’t really know all that much about John Paul White, except that he was in the fabulous duo The Civil Wars, and that he writes intelligent but downbeat folk music.
For indeed, his songs are not cheery by any stretch. But they are very pretty.
I know the first song, “Black Leaf,” from his Tiny Desk Concert. I loved it then and I love it now. After the song, he asks, “How are you? Are you well? You should be well. No one should be complaining, least of all me in this black suit.”
And, despite his tone, he is not above making jokes with his audience. Like when he introduces the second song, “Martyr,” he says, “We’ll be doing while lot of death metal covers. I figured this would be the place. This song is by a band called Sepultura.” [Nervous titters from the crowd before he starts playing a pretty JPW song that sounds not unlike a contemporary Barenaked Ladies song, especially his delivery of it].
“The Once and Future Queen,” is a slow, quiet song with a big chorus full of pretty harmonies. When it ends, he says:
I guess it’s probably my duty to warn you…. You came to a folk festival so you probably weren’t looking for happy songs anyway… If you came to this set looking to be cheered up, you’re screwed. Let’s get that out of the way.
I loved “Hate the Way You Love Me,” during the Tiny Desk Concert, but when the backing singers accompany him on the chorus and the gorgeous fiddle from Kelli Jones fills the song, it’s really wonderful.
He jokes, “Glad you’re enjoying the death metal. I didn’t think it would go over as well as it has.” But he then plays “Fight for You,” a fairly rocking song–with some rocking distortion on his guitar and a snarl in his voice (and a pretty heavy chorus).
I tend to think of JPW as kind of a mellow singer with a great voice, but he really lets loose in the middle of “Hope I Die.” In addition to a really powerful singing section, there’s a pretty wild solo going on (violin or guitar or both). He introduces Adam Morrow over here on the guitar, so I assume he had something to do with it.
He says, “I’m not gonna pretend that all of you have any idea who I am.” [cheers] He jokes, “That’s called fishing for a compliment.” But he continues,
To those of you who do I apologize. It’s been awhile. it took a lot to get me out of the house. I was incredibly happy sleeping in my bed and going to dance recitals and football games and the lot. And then these melodies started coming back in my head. And if I gave into it I’d be back out here doing this. I and I didn’t want that at all. No. No offense, but I didn’t want of see any of your faces. But once I wrote these songs I wondered if people would connect with them… and I still doesn’t know why I did that. So thank you.
In introducing the slow ballad “I’ve Been Over This Before,” he says “This is one of the first songs that came to me. I was obviously listening to a lot of old country music, because that’s where it all starts for me.”
He continues, “I promise you I won’t bore you with song meanings because most of the time I have no idea what they mean most of the time. But this one is personal for me.” He says “Simple Song” is indicative of the folk spirit of telling stories and passing them down to further generations.
This came from my grandmother. When my grandfather passed away he was battling many demons that everyone was having to battle alongside him. She was raising 14 kids because of those demons. So… I thought he was perfect, I though that he was always happy, but that was not true and when he passes away, she didn’t cry. I asked her why and she said ‘I cried so much for your grandfather when he was on this earth, there’s no way I’m gonna cry for him now that he’s better off.’ And so I thought, ‘Number 1, I want to punch you in the face. And then 2 much later in life, that that is a song waiting to happen.’ So this will also cheer you up.
The song and sentiment are beautiful with plaintive lap steel guitar: “I will remember I will remember I will remember you… but I will cry for you no more.”
He continues, “So it’s said that festival crowds… this quiet does not happen. This is beautiful I really do appreciate it. I’m a very dynamic performer and I need this kind of environment so… Festivals scare the shit out of me. I have to thank you from the bottom of my heart. This is an unbelievable atmosphere to play in.
before the final song, the rocking “What’s So,” which I also know from Tiny Desk, he says “This is the first time Newport for all of my band so they’re geeking out pretty hard.” In addition to Jones and Morrow, there’s Reed Watson on drums and Matt Green on bass.
“I need more band members so I have time to tune.”
“What’s So” has an aching descending chorus line that is just terrific.
I really like John Paul White’s music and I’d love to see him live in a quiet sit down club..
[READ: June 24, 2017] “It’s a Summer Day”
I know Andrew Sean Greer from a few McSweeney’s books.
This was a simple story but told in a really cool style. It concerns Arthur Less, a writer, who has been called to an international conference where he is in the running to win a prize. But the prize is minor and no one–not he nor his agent–thinks he has a chance. In fact, the only reason he went was to get out of going to a wedding of an old flame, Freddy.
Freddy had once given him advice about international flights: “They serve you dinner, you take your sleeping pill, they serve you breakfast, you’re there.”
I love the narrator’s voice in this story.
He had been to Italy before. Once when he was 12. And the second time with Robert Brownburn (Yes, that Robert Brownburn, the famous poet). They had been dating for a while and were at a good point in their relationship.
He did as instructed with the pills, but woke up in the middle of the night–only two hours having passed! He takes out another pill and then it’s time for breakfast. He is in a fog and the first few pages are an amusing comedy of him possibly going the wrong way. He barely makes his local flight (and is shocked to see ashtrays in the airplane seats–charming or frightening?) And then… was it a mistake to get in the car marked for Sr. Ess? The driver speaks no English and it sure looks like he is heading in the wrong direction. (more…)
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