This Narrow Road
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| This Narrow Road | |||||
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| Studio album by Jandek | |||||
| Released | 2001 | ||||
| Recorded | Unknown | ||||
| Genre | A cappella/Spoken word/ Outsider Music | ||||
| Length | 57:19 | ||||
| Label | Corwood Industries | ||||
| Producer | Corwood Industries | ||||
| Jandek chronology | |||||
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This Narrow Road is the thirtieth album by Jandek, and the first of two new discs (there were several reissues) released in 2001. It is also the second of three (so far) spoken word releases and is Corwood #0768.
Contents |
[edit] Overview
This Narrow Road shows Jandek settling into the curious instrument-free form of Put My Dream on This Planet, and the best way to hear it may be as a sort of series of "spoken/sung monologues" rather than formal songs. Some Jandek list members have compared this style to some of Samuel Beckett's soliloques, and that's not far off. In content and in delivery, these pieces bare more than a passing similarity to some of Beckett's work.
The opening track, "One Last Chance," moves along -for the most part - at a solid 4/4 beat, as the narrator/singer wails some often fiery proclamations. Jandek is pleading for forgiveness again, stating "I wanna live my life right" and "don't let it be too late now" with genuine conviction for nearly half an hour. This is an aging man, and one who hopes there is, indeed, "one more chance" at doing what he wants to do. How autobiographically we are supposed to take this is impossible to say - there's no more information on the back cover here than on any Corwood release.
The second half of the album is eleven tracks that, taken together, aren't as long as that first one. They are of a different nature entirely, and run from as little as 1:02 to as much as 3:34. The purpose of each track varies, with some featuring a static and others featuring enraptured wailing. An example of the latter is "Never Never Never," where he hollers "Kill all that kind/kiss the bad disease/smother in the sulfur heat." Ultimately the "battle" here may be little different than the one found on many Jandek albums - how do I find God? Is there a woman for me? Can my life change, and can I look back at the past without regrets? The album closes with him saying "go away now/before you're gone," though the listener should know by now that the invitation to return will be extended shortly.
[edit] Track listing
- One Last Chance – 29:21
- Killer Cats in the Caribbean – 3:05
- Yes You Are – 2:44
- The Name I Had – 3:30
- I Need To Be – 2:03
- Pieces of Place – 3:29
- Never Never Never – 1:05
- Just Like the Floor – 2:20
- Ten O'Clock Shadows – 2:48
- Come Over Here – 1:06
- Frosted Field – 1:02
- I Knew About Them – 3:34
[edit] Album Cover Description
A smiling, fairly young Corwood Rep with a face full of fuzz, standing in front of a brick wall.
