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Considering that I played Hal Ketchum's
debut album, "Past The Point
of Rescue," to death (even garnering a karaoke trophy or
two for my humble re-creation of such chestnuts as the title
cut and "I Know Where Love Lives"). And considering
I prayed for him at my own Austin church when he was diagnosed
and recovering from a harrowing muscle malady. And considering
I cheered on his rather late-in-life decision to clean himself
up from too much booze and drugs, I wanted to give this album
five stars for just existing. Now, Hal can sing the phone book
and it would be worth listening to, but too many tunes on this
woefully uneven album just don't ring my bell. (Admittedly, I
am in the critic's minority, because everyone else is falling
over themselves to praise this album to the heavens.)
Let's finish getting the bad news out of
the way. The cover of Todd
Rundgren's "I Saw the Light" is the cheesy 70's dreck
it was to begin with, only now with fiddles attached. The opening
track, "A Girl Like You," tries to be a slinky guitar-picker,
but goes on for so long, and lyrically meanders so badly, it
comes dangerously close to grating.
"Tell me" is the title of the
third track, but tell him what? That the ending of this song
doesn't make ANY musical sense, and the words are mumbled? The
song "The Unforgiven" could describe what I am going
to be when I tell everyone this song has a cool last half, but
the first half sounds like some bad TV-show theme.
Whew, now that that's off my chest, let
me join the bandwagon and say the rest of this album IS worth
running to go and get. "When Love looks
Back At You" and "Love Me Love Me Not" are finally
Hal back on track. They are gloriously sung, nicely written and
as stupendously catchy as anything I have ever heard him sing.
Same for the high-point of the album, the invigorating "A
Wave of Your Hand." "Too Many Memories" and "For
Tonight" are haunting glimpses into what the mighty Hal
has dealt with lately, even though these tunes came from other
writers. The album concludes on another high note with the charming
and graceful "You'll Never Hurt That Way Again."
I reiterate I am just as biased in my love
for Hal as anyone else, but many of his self-penned songs, I'm
afraid, have fallen under the seductive guise of "I was
messed up when I wrote the good songs before, so these must be
better." Cleaner living sometimes comes with the addition
of Rose Colored Glasses. But even if there was one DECENT song
instead of the handful of GREAT ones on this disc, its still
Hal. After all his problems and many months hiatus, I'm just
glad to see him back as anyone. I hope whoever his helping Hal
pick his material, will see MORE of the light next time. |
