Folk musicians wear a lot of different musical personalities: There's the angry-young man sound, the social consciousness-on-the-sleeve sound, the tortured-love sound, the weary road-warrior sound.
Greg Brown is, well, Greg Brown. Tough to pidgeonhole, tougher yet to describe. His music is alternately brooding and sensual, his lyrics revolving between dark and hopeful. There's also a smattering of wanderlust and back-porch reminiscing.That eclectic mix has made Brown one of the hottest names in contemporary folk music. Now, his just-released "Dream Cafe" - which ranks somewhere between exceptional and brilliant - should make the prolific songwriter an even hotter ticket.
Utah fans will get their chance to see just how good "Dream Cafe" is when Brown performs Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Fine Arts Auditorium, University of Utah. Tickets are $9 in advance and $10 the day of the concert and are available at Acoustic Music, Intermountain Guitar and Banjo, Smokey's Records, Compact Discounter and all Sound Off locations.
Greg Brown is hardly a babe-in-the-woods waiting to break into the public consciousness. He's been churning out critically acclaimed albums since 1985's "In the Dark With You," named by critics as one of the best albums of the 1980s. He followed that with the acclaimed "Songs of Innocence and of Experience" a collection of William Blake poems set to music) and the classic "One More Goodnight Kiss."
Everywhere Brown has turned, critics and fans (undeniably a fiercely loyal bunch) alike have welcomed him with open arms. The New York Times gushed that Brown "has a knowing way with everyday details," and called him the "greatest living songwriter you've never heard of." The Boston Globe praised his ability to "turn songs of homey simplicity into profound statements," and Rolling Stone called his album "One Big Town" a "unified, compelling effort to shake us from sedation.
His list of admirers includes Leonard Cohen, Emmylou Harris, Jennifer Warnes, Bill Morrissey and Garrison Keillor.
But as most writers will freely admit, you're only as good as your latest work. In Greg Brown's case, that's pretty darned good. Maybe the best.
Dream Cafe is a brilliant blend of down-home folk, country blues and what-if songs that probe human relationships in a matter-of-fact way. Lyrically, he's a poet with bag full of melodies, all seasoned with deep, rumbling vocals that resonate through the emotional consciousness.
In an uncanny sort of way, "Dream Cafe" appeals on both an emotional and intellectual level. On one hand, it's whole-wheat bread and celery sticks: It's good for. On the other, it's chocolate cake and ice cream: It tastes delicious.
In fact, the only real problem with "Dream Cafe" is there is no lyric sheet (an unfortunate byproduct of financially strapped independent record labels) to absorb the full impact of Brown's running commentary.
"Dream Cafe" and the associated tour is but one of Brown's ongoing projects. He's just released another album with folk master Bill Morrissey, called "Friend of Mine," that features cover songs of classic folk, country and rock 'n' roll songs, and he's set to release "Bathtub Blues" in May, his first album for children.
Saturday's concert is sponsored by the Intermountain Acoustic Music Association and the Student Involvement Center.