After some genre-hopping, Damien Jurado has...OK, Lord forbid he should “settle” anywhere, but on On My Way To Absence he goes for a relatively straightforward folk rock approach. Tom Waits creekiness, Neil Young proto-grungery, Nick Drake fragility and other complementary spices season the mix, bringing further life to Jurado’s often bleak tableaux. Bleakest of the lot is “Fuel,” where mere guitar and voice convey volumes of mixed emotion and self-deprecation. Conversely, “Simple Hello” sounds like his well-taken shot at a breezy (for him) indie love song hit. Jurado’s songwriting remains rooted in the compulsion to tell stories where redemption isn’t always readily evident, but his voice-equal parts Eddie Vedder and Woodie Guthrie-gives rough, truthful comfort.
Ratings – Doug Van Pelt 3/5, Jamie Lee Rake 4/5
Similar sounding releases
2005Frank LenzConquest Slaughter
2004The River BendsAnd Flows Into the Sea
2004John VandersliceCellar Door
2005Chris StaplesBlackest Hair, Bluest Eyes
1998Knife in the WaterPlays One Sound and Others
2004David KittSquare 1More from Damien Jurado
1997Waters Ave. S.
2002I Break Chairs
2003Holding His Breath
2003Where Shall You Take Me?
1999Rehearsals for Departure
2000Postcards and Audio Letters
