Does Damien Jurado ever make bad records? What the hell was Sub Pop thinking letting this guy get away? Man! I have this theory that Damien Jurado does his best work on EPs. I don't know why this would be, but the four song vinyl EP that followed the excellent I Break Chairs was simply staggering. And now we have Holding His Breath coming close on the heels of Where Shall You Take Me and, well, damn.
Once again supported by Eric Fisher, Josh Golden, and Andy Myers, his band since I Break Chairs -- and also the supporting band for compatriot Rosie Thomas, who turns up here on vocal duties for one cut -- Jurado's Holding His Breath is similar enough in tone to the plaintive, atmospheric folk of Where Shall You Take Me that these just may be b-sides from those sessions. But if that's the case, then Jurado's discards are far superior to most people's a-list material.
He's walking familiar territory here, with the three original tracks sporting "I Am The Greatest Of All Liars," "Oh Death Art With Me" and "Big Let Down" for titles. But it's all fairly timeless stuff and his themes seem none the worse for wear. The two covers come compliments of 764-Hero and Peggy Seeger, and fit quite nicely with Jurado's original work.
At only five tracks long, the disc is a bit on the short side, and being a European import it can be both pricey and difficult to find, but Holding His Breath is well worth while.
Other coverage for this album
Decapolis August 2003Reviewed by Tyler PistolDamien Jurado has been turning out solo material steadily since 1996, prior to which he was a mainstay in the Seattle punk scene. While some releases prove he can rock with the best of them, he's nicely settled into the role of an introspective, singer songwriter. The Bruce Springsteen/Neil Young comparisons fly, but Damien has developed his own musical feel and has won respect among music…Similar sounding releases
2003Doug BurrThe Sickle & the Sheaves
2003Sun Kil MoonGhosts of the Great Highway
2004Liz JanesPoison & Snakes
1998For StarsFor Stars
1998Knife in the WaterPlays One Sound and Others
2001Royal CityAlone at the MicrophoneMore from Damien Jurado
2002I Break Chairs
2000Postcards and Audio Letters
1997Waters Ave. S.
1999Rehearsals for Departure
2000Ghost of David
2005On My Way to Absence
