I was visiting a friend in NYC last summer, and as fate would have it, ended up in the studio with a "blues Messiah." Whilst in the studio, the producer of the album said quite plainly in between puffs on the sticky-icky (which he didn't offer to share with any of the six other people in the room) that the real reason anyone makes music is to get chicks. My friend and I were quite taken aback, as this rule not only excludes gay men and straight women from the whole art-form, but also because we like to think that good music comes only from a desire for personal expression (or other such crap). This relates to Johnathan Rice and his latest, Trouble is Real, in that if I were making the pro-pussy-chasing argument, Rice and his tunes would be a terrific exhibit A. If it pleases the court, note the following: Carefully disheveled hair. Plays the singer-songwriter shtick to the hilt, down to mimicking John Mayer's voice. Writes and delivers lines like "Love's sweet surprise" and "Love's true and it ain't no lie/ Tell me how it feels" (which manages to be trite, redundant, and Dylan-thieving all at the same time) with a straight face. Ladies and gentleman of the jury, the defendant is clearly after your daughters. I beg you to put him, and the filth he peddles, away for life.
1. Short Songs For Strings
2. Mid November
3. Kiss Me Goodbye
4. So Sweet
5. Break So Easy
6. Lady Memphis
7. Behind the Frontlines
8. My Mother's Son
9. Leave the Light On
10. City On Fire
11. Put Me In Your Holy War
12. Salvation Day
13. Stay At Home
14. Acrobat
15. Hickory Wind (Outro)
16. I Wouldn't Miss It For the World
More about: Johnathan Rice
