Track Listing

1. Glory Of True Love
2. Crazy As A Loon
3. Long Monday
4. Taking A Walk
5. Some Humans Ain't Human
6. My Darlin' Hometown
7. Morning Train
8. The Moon Is Down
9. Clay Pigeons
10. She Is My Everything
11. I Hate It When That Happens To Me
12. Bear Creek Blues
13. Other Side Of Town
14. Safety Joe

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5938 in Music
• Released on: 2005-04-26
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .18 pounds

Album Description
John Prine takes his own sweet time dancing with his muse -- and truly writes what's in his soul. So if it takes him a little longer to write the songs that capture moments and reveal the gently folded human truths that bind us all together. It's always worth the wait. Now, nearly nine years since the release of his Grammy-nominated Lost Dogs & Mixed Blessings, the iconic American writer has put the finishing touches on his latest offering, appropriately titled, Fair & Square. "It was just time," says Prine in his always understated way. "I had a bunch of songs. I'd started recording them, and it turns out, I liked them pretty well. So, now, I get to get them all just the way I like them - and then I get to let them go out to meet the world." With the occasional wheezing accordion, curlicue electric guitar parts, quick-wristed mandolins, billowing B-3 pads and puddles of pedal steel guitar, the rough-voiced singer/songwriter's first self-produced record is a homey affair that draws generously from the palette of traditional American music -- be it folk, bluegrass, shuffles, vintage rock & roll, torch, country -- for an amalgamation that would be at home on any Wurlitzer in a whiskey-soaked tavern with beer signs flickering from age and the walls stained deeper than sepia from the years of constant smoke.

With bluegrass queen Alison Krauss on the ode to his Irish refuge "My Darlin' Hometown", the street corner desolation of "The Moon Is Down" and alt-country princess Mindy Smith bringing allure and tartness to "Morning Train," "Long Monday" and the melted neon ponder of "Taking A Walk," Fair & Square is the work of a man at ease with his life, secure with his place in the world and willing to share the things that he sees. "It's been a while, so I'm pretty excited," Prine admits with that Oh Boy grin. "And that's a really good place to be."

Amazon.com
Good things come to those who wait. During John Prine's nine-year interval between albums of original material, fans who hailed his recovery from cancer wondered whether he'd ever return to full creative speed. Here, Prine puts doubts to rest with an album that ranks with the finest of an inspired career. The big heart of "Glory of True Love," the socially conscious bite of "Some Humans Ain't Human," the reflective grace of "Taking a Walk," the wry whimsy of "Crazy as a Loon"--the hallmarks of Prine's artistry are reaffirmed on Fair & Square. The album also reflects Prine's first attempt at producing himself, with the warmth of his rough-hewn vocals finding a comfortable fit among the organic, largely acoustic arrangements. Though Prine penned 12 of the 14 cuts (including two bonus tracks, one recorded in concert), a pair of covers prove revelatory: Blaze Foley's "Clay Pigeons" sounds like it could well be one of Prine's own (with a melody that recalls "Hello in There" and a lyric of renewal that sounds like personal testament), while A.P. Carter's "Bear Creek Blues" carries an electric charge as the traditional song rocks harder than anything else on the album. With a generous selection of close to an hour of music, the album stands as a creative triumph for Prine, a fully satisfying effort that rewards the patience of his loyal fans. Welcome back. --Don McLeese

About the Artist
John Prine "You know who you are – and you can really use that to your advantage. You’re not settling for something, you know… It’s a good thing to know who you are: You know how to walk into a room, where to sit down & everything except how the play ends. I called this record Fair & Square because the songs all came from the gut – From somewhere between my heart and my gut – The intention was honest and straightforward; nothing more, not thing less." It’s been nine years since John Prine – Grammy-winner, former mailman, iconic American songwriter, voice of a generation, chronic dreamer, child of the Midwest, grandchild of Appalachia – made a record. And in that time, the man whose given us "Sam Stone," "Hello In There," "Blow Up Your TV," "I Ain’t Hurtin’ Nobody," & "Angel From Montgomery," made a full-immersion commitment to living that precluded the watching-the-clock school of record making. "I can’t believe it," says the gruff-voiced songwriter with that low rumbling laugh. "Everything’s just been flowing… Days roll into each other… You’re writing songs… You’re thinking you’re making a record… Then you’re not sure the songs are really talking to each other. When you’re not paying attention to how long it’s been – and you’re on the road, raising your family, just being in your life – suddenly, it’s nine years! Who knew?" Still listening to Fair & Square, it’s obvious that whatever the ever humble musician was doing, it was time well-spent. There’s a sweetness to songs like the frolicking "Glory of True Love," the fond "My Darlin’ Hometown" or the aching "The Moon Is Down." Whether it’s the straight-up jingoistic indictment of "Some Humans Ain’t Human," the allegorical "Taking A Walk" or the indictment of voyeuristic culture "I Hate It When That Happens To Me," the first songwriter to be asked by the United States Poet Laureate to read at the Library of Congress. In addition marking Prine’s debut as a producer – a job he shared with engineer Gary Paczoza, it also marks a new comfort to the singing style of the craggy-voiced troubadour. And the culprit for this new found ease of performing is a rather unlikely reality. Not some high-powered vocal coach or breakthrough technique, but the cancer of Prine’s neck. "My voice dropped after the surgery for the cancer," Prine allows. "I don’t know if it was that, or the radiation. I’d never even heard of neck cancer and I had to have radiation across the throat area to heal anything touching where the cancer was… which was my vocal chords. Fair & Square is certainly a jewel in the crown of John Prine’s catalogue. Personal without being intrusive, sweet without being cloying, aware without haranguing, it marks the very best work of a man whose songs are strong enough to warrant the first invitation to a songwriter by the Poet Laureate of the United States to read at the Library of Congress. It’s that reverence for humanity – and simplicity of intention – that has made John Prine one of America’s most enduring songwriters. Not that the chuckle-and-whatever artist with the twinkle in his eye would ever sit still for that kind of praise. "I don’t know about any of it," he demurs. "It’s like when people tell me it’s been nine years since my last record – what was I doing? Well, you know, time just kind of slips away… I can’t even believe it. Time’s just flowing, and I’m not even sure where it went – me scooting through the days, that turned into well, nine years. "I’ve been on the road. I’ve been with my family. I’ve been writing songs… and I’ve been, uhm, producing a record. I guess it takes times to get all these things right. Although," he says, pausing for wry set-up, "I know I’m not going for perfection – unless there’s such a thing as the perfect mistake." In John Prine’s world, there are no mistakes, of course. Just the perfection of moments seen, polished, worn with warm affection or golden clarity. So it is that Fair & Square is here, finally, and certainly worth the wait.

Customer Reviews

A new classic
I notice the two negative reviews I've seen here are both upset because of JP's anti-Bush stuff on "Some Humans Ain't Human." Specifically, he says "...some cowboy from Texas, starts his own war in Iraq..."

Oh....please. This is a guy who's been anti-war, anti-establishment and anti-a-whole-lot-of-other-stuff since he's been writing music. Maybe you'll recall "Your Flag Decal Won't Get You into Heaven Anymore," from his first album, or "Take the Star Out of the Window," from his second album. There's a lot of them. Either you haven't been listening, or you've just got your head so far up Bush's (...) that you're unable to hear any honest criticism without throwing the baby (an outstanding album) out with the bathwater (your political views). This is still America, more or less, and the guy has every right to say what he feels.

I've been a big Prine fan since the mid 70s, and used to go see him live with Steve Goodman back in the day. For my money, this is one of his best albums. His voice has aged (go figure), but not in any way that detracts, for me. His soul shines though on these tunes, and a few of them are really just beautiful.

I'm so happy he seems to be on the other side of his throat cancer, and is still on stages, grinning.

Welcome Back, John
John Prine hasn't done a lot of new material since "The Missing Years," and I was a little disappointed with "Lost Dogs & Mixed Blessings." But he's back on his game with this one! I got it as a Christmas present and I must have listened to it thirty times since then. From the opening measures of "Glory of True Love," which reminded me of "Souvenirs," I knew this one was classic John Prine.

If I weren't a Prine fan...
...I'd fall in love with "Fair & Square" anyway. But I've been a John Prine fan for years, and I think this may be his best since his 1st album over 30 years ago. That's saying alot because Mr. Prine's 1st album is one of my favorites of any style in all of time. I grew up as a rock/funk/jazz fan and never cared much for country or folk music (Merle Haggard & Johnny Cash being 2 of a small handful of exceptions).
It would be redundant to repeat all the other reviews describing the songs, so here's why I like "Fair & Square" so much: aside from having all the elements that make John unique (wry wit, lyrics that make you think, etc.), his voice gives these tunes a dark, sentimental - even innocent charm. It would be tough for anyone else to give the same songs the same flavor. Also the melodies are refreshingly simple, as are the instrumental arrangements. "The Glory of True Love" bounces along with a friendly vibe, then out of nowhere, the mandolin takes a dark minor scale solo and the guitar lurches out with the rockabilly blues, then right back to happy again. But ain't love just like that? Therein lies the subtle genius of Prine.
Jason Wilbur plays what the old folks call "sideman", a term for lead guitarist of a famous name (Scotty Moore was Elvis Presley's sideman, Don Rich was Buck Owen's sideman, etc.). Mr. Wilbur has much to do with taking these songs to a unique refreshing place. I saw JP in concert supporting this album accompanied by Jason Wilbur (electric guitar) and Dave Jacques (stand-up and electric bass). Taking nothing away from Dave, but Jason displayed some amazing chops - not fast, but different. Steel guitar licks, interesting double-stops, triple string bends, drew enthusiastic applause from the audience after many of his solos. I mention this because this kind of playing is all over the album as well.
Do yourself a favor and trust me on this one. It's a great album by anyone's standards.