by Robert L. Doerschuk
Though time had passed since his Real World apprenticeship, the Peter Gabriel influence looms larger than ever on Joseph Arthur's third release. In particular, Redemption's Son achieves a sophisticated marriage of traditional songwriting craft and avant-garde production, a combination that guides Gabriel's best work as well. The singer/songwriter foundation is clearer with Arthur, however; many of these tracks grow from a bedrock of acoustic guitar and vocals, with gauzy electronics shimmering across the surface rather than glistening within the fabric of the tune. Aside from a few inspired images, such as his admission that &I've been so happy being unhappy with you& in &Favorite Girl,& Arthur's writing is steady and workmanlike; by giving prominent position to lines like &I wish I could follow you to the shore of freedom,& from &Honey and the Moon,& he tends to build in the verses toward slightly disappointing resolutions in the choruses. Even so, the sonic range achieved on these tracks, ranging from a filmy folk-rock evocation on &Dear Lord& to the collision of &Strawberry Fields& Mellotron and Duane Eddy twang on &I Would Rather Hide,& suggests that Arthur may have even more promise as a producer than as an artist in years to come.