Classic.
In the ten new songs on his second CD American singer-songwriter Joe Iadanza makes a big step forward.
Much more subdued than on his good debut Traveling Salesman Iadanza stays much closer to folk than to roots music this time. The total absence of up-tempo songs in favour of ballads is striking, although in his lyrics Iadanza takes a stance just as categorically as on that first one.
From opener Skin And Bones to closing song American Dream he sings about great themes in the directly appealing way of the classic folk heroes: a soldier gets crushed by the war, a man holding two jobs gets crushed by the economic crisis, a son compares his life to his deceased father’s and a musician on tour longs for his lover at home.
Musically all songs are very restrained:Iadanza’s acoustic guitar and Craig Akin’s double bass support the vocal melody more than that they determine it. A few times Julie Wolf adds some piano, Carolin Pook a melancholic violin or the trio Gathering Time their moody, repetitive background vocals.
Because of that and of the free-flowing melodies Iadanza’s evocative vocals and his lyrics from within are at the centre. They convince without exception, because he understands the art of emphatizing with his characters and making their stories his own.
In doing that he is at the crossroads of folk and singer-songwriter, because although in many of his lyrics there is a social consciousness, they are highy personal at the same time.
The relative silence Iadanza creates, is deafening.
****
A review of Traveling Salesman can be found elsewhere in the ‘English pieces’ section on this website.