The super-talented JOSEPH ARTHUR seems to be coming unassailably up on the celebrity rails these days. Becoming famous as the guy who paints canvases ‘tween songs at his lauded live shows, he’s about to publish his first book “We Almost Made It” – compiling his paintings and drawings – and recently no less a patron that REM’S Michael Stipe released a charity EP with six versions of Arthur’s song “In The Sun”, with the proceeds going directly to aid those in the Gulf Coast affected by the Hurricane Katrina tragedy last November.
Of course, Arthur pieced together his superb album “Our Shadows Will Remain” in the stricken city of New Orleans and – taken from it - new single “Can’t Exist” (packaged in yet another gorgeous, lavish gatefold sleeve) is yet another slowburning slice of wondrousness from the man who the estimable Greg Dulli recently told me has the ability to “pull diamonds from the air.”
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As usual, my hat’s off to Mr.D, too, as “Can’t Exist” is suitably rueful, redemptive and emotive, with guitars from the E-bowed, The Edge-style school and he chorus making a gear change up to a dangerous fifth. Indeed, when Joe notes “I can’t explain how I lost a thousand dollars on the street again” for a few seconds it sounds like the saddest thing you’ve ever heard.
So, at four minutes and three seconds, it’s just about perfect – again. Regardless of how good his canvases are, it’s surely Joseph Arthur’s aural Guernicas that will be pored over for years yet to come.
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