NASHVILLE, TN. (John Prine Official Website) - When
John Prine decided to release his first album in 9 years, the already critically acclaimed Fair & Square, he figured it was time. "I had a bunch of songs I like pretty well," he said of his motivation, "and I wanted to see if anybody agreed with me..."
Not only did people agree, there's been some pretty amazing publications offering insight into the deeply human work of the Grammy-winning songwriter who recently became the first musician to read at the Library of Congress - at the invitation of America's Poet Laureate Ted Kooser. Chicago-based critic Lloyd Sachs spent a long afternoon interviewing the former mailman for an expansive cover piece in the current issue of indie-roots-music-bible No Depression for a feature that ties up the loose ends of a storied career in a way that grounds the temerity of his current music.
"It's funny how when you start talking, you start to realize how the things connect," Prine admits with a laugh. "Sometimes you're so busy living the life, you don't think about how one thing leads to another… so I'm remembering a lot of things from these conversations. It's a pretty interesting way to time-travel, though I don't know that I'd want to make a habit of it."
Looking back may have a certain sweetness, but Prine's music has always been rooted in the here-and-now - even when it's looking back. And for a particularly look at his craft and his process, the Chicago-born artist talks about his gift for a cover piece by Paul Griffith in American Songwriter that examines the challenges, the muse and the mirth of the what the man who's given the world "Sam Stone," "Hello In There," "I Only Want To Dance With You," "Angel from Montgomery," "Speed of the Sound of Loneliness," "Picture Show" and "Lake Marie."
"...being a writer is a responsibility. I'm trying to be responsible for the records I've made before and try to keep the standards up," confesses the man who also admits, "Nowadays, I probably write as much while I'm driving as I do sitting with my guitar or at a desk… I've always got it going."
USA Today gave Fair & Square 3 1/2 stars - raving, "You're never quite sure whether John Prine's songs mean more or less than what you take away from them, but that's part of their charm. Prine's craggy, conversational voice dispenses wisdom with a wink and hides humor inside ruminations on fame, home and his lover's Cadillac-black hair," and Billboard gave it their Critic's Choice designation, saying, "Nine years is way too long without a fresh batch of John Prine originals, but the so-dang-human "Fair & Square" is worth the wait. Issued again on his homegrown Oh Boy label, the 12-pack is quintessential blue-collar Prine:"
The No 1 Folk download - and No 11 overall - at Amazon.com, Fair & Square is finally out - and ready for fans to hear. Given the wait, according to the critics, it's more than worth the patience.
