Track Listing

1. Rages of Babylon
2. Morning Cup
3. Shadows of Lies
4. Could We Survive
5. Walk Away
6. King of the Pavement

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #121280 in Music
• Released on: 2008-03-18
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: EP

Amazon.com
The first of five scheduled 2008 releases for Brooklyn, N.Y.'s Joseph Arthur, the six-song EP Could We Survive suggests a singer/songwriter teetering on the brink of Bob Dylan, circa 1963, but not in the sense of simple artist comparison. It is in the prolific nature in which he writes songs--the lead track "Rages of Babylon" is Iraq's version of "Masters of War"--and splashes them about a blossoming fan base. Arthur's not about cluttering up his songs with cosmic arrangements and one-too-many instruments, choosing instead to let the lyrics and melody share the guiding points. "Morning Cup" coasts on a gorgeous riff of acoustic guitar. Its love-craving storyline serves as a lead-in to the cheerful, organ-led "Shadow of Lies," where Arthur contemplates a relationship, admitting," in the dead of night there's no place I can hide." A quieter, more solemn mood creeps into the title song and the reverberating "Walk Away," wrapping up the record in a tidy 21 minutes. And as the final strum of "King of the Pavement" ends the record, it's encouraging to know it won't be long until the next one. --Scott Holter

Customer Reviews

Could We Survive EP Beginning Of Very Good Year For Joseph Arthur Fans
In advance of his seventh LP due in early August, the ambitious, mercurial singer/songwriter Joseph Arthur is releasing four EPs over the next four months, beginning with this one, Could We Survive. It's difficult to assign a single catch-all term to Arthur's music since he's run through a number of different genres since his first pair of albums, which contained world music and electronica influenced folk rock, and especially since he's gone indie on his own label, Lonely Astronaut (also the name of his sometime band since 2006, albeit in a plural form, natch). He dabbled in psychedelic and acid rock on his last release, Let's Just Be, a progression hinted at on his first Lonely Astronaut release, Nuclear Daydream. Here on Could We Survive, however, he's in a more introspective, often stripped down acoustic folk mode, with a mood akin to "In The Sun," "Honey And The Moon" and "Redemption's Son." The EP begins with "Rages Of Babylon," a anti-war song told from the perspective of an American soldier going overseas, who heartbreakingly wonders "Will my family remember me?" It's one of Arthur's best, most moving songs. Other highlights include the title track, a quiet, whispery ballad, and the final track, "King Of Pavement," a folky tune with a warm, psychedelic feel. Reportedly, the next EP, Crazy Rain, due April 15th, will have more of a techno sound, and as for the two EPs after that, who knows? However, with the arrival of Could We Survive, it's clear this is the beginning of a very good year for Joseph Arthur fans.

Joseph returns with a great : )
Could We Survive is a strong Ep. Any friend of good songwriting should pick this up straight away... The songs on the record have some real light within , personally I'm into all of them. This Ep really grows on you, the songs have a real depth as with any of the best work of Arthur . Been lately really digging Rages of Babylon & King Of the PAvement . . .

Shadows of Lies!!!!
Not too long ago my girlfriend introduced me to Joseph Arthur. I had heard Honey and the Moon and Speed of Light lyrics spill gloriously from her rough lips many a time. I finally downloaded Redemption's Son, heard Dear Lord, and was instantly hooked much the same as when I first heard M. Ward. I listen to NPR, and they introduced a series of EPs he will be releasing over the next few months. Shadows of Lies is my favorite from this EP. If the rest of the EPs sound anything like this, I will look forward to owning them all, including the album coming out at the end of the summer...Very versatle, eclectic rocker. I truly see what Peter Gabriel saw in him...and an artist also, he had an opening in New York recently called The Museum of Modern Arthur... Could We Survive is Highly Recommended