JOSEPH ARTHUR is one of those wonderful, mercurial characters with an intriguing past who we ought to be embracing more in these days of head-first-into-blandness living.
I mean, there aren’t many people out there whose record company showcase gig ends with their record company boss (Peter Gabriel) taking you for dinner with Lou Reed and you dine with Dolly Parton at the same table. And there ain’t too many people who would build a reputation for (literally) painting masterpieces on canvas ‘tween songs as Joe was moved to do during his recent touring schedule.
Thankfully, though, Arthur’s parallel musical output suggests his artistic genes have more in common with the likes of Graham Coxon and (pushing it) Syd Barrett rather than Rolf Harris in the long run, and “Devil’s Broom”, another crucial track culled from JA’S dense and sumptuous 2005 album “Our Shadows Will Remain” again reminds us that while his extracurriculars are diverting, it’s still that dark and enigmatic muse that drives Arthur on.
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Indeed, “Devil’s Broom” is well worth possessing a second time. It’s a tense, last-gasp affair with fiercely-scrubbed acoustic guitars, Peter Hook-esque bassline melody invective and a honey of a chorus lift-off which rises like the proverbial phoenix from Joe’s wracked, Jeff Klein-ish vocals dominating the verses.
Chilling and compelling, Joseph Arthur continues to grow in stature.
(NB: Joseph Arthur has an exhibition of paintings open to the public @ London’s Vertigo Gallery from February 10th – February 12th 2006.)
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