Langhorne Slim Albums (3)
What The Critics Say
Langhorne Slim started out as a solo act before he worked his way up to a pair of accompanists, but it would seem he's gotten over the whole notion of minimal accompaniment on his third full-length album, Be Set Free. Produced by Chris Funk of the Decemberists, Be Set Free features Langhorne and his usual sidekicks Jeff Ratner on bass and Malachi DeLorenzo on drums, but there's also a wealth of guest musicians, most notably Sam Kassirer on a variety of keyboards, Funk taking on a handful of fretted instruments, and a small battalion of backing vocalists, horn players, and string musicians. Be Set Free sounds significantly more polished than Langhorne's previous studio sessions, with the arrangements and additional accompanists bringing a range of dynamics to the melodies that wasn't quite there before (certainly not on this scale), but even though this album sounds like Cinemascope compared to the more modest framings of Langhorne's previous LPs, the additional colors and patterns have been artfully applied and they serve to add to the tenor of his tunes rather than distracting from them; if this album was conceived on a (relatively) grand scale, it's never overdone. For all the imagination of the arrangements and production, Be Set Free is still clearly designed to honor Langhorne's songwriting, and the charm and passionate honesty of his lyrics are still at the root of these performances, with the arrangements reinforcing the passion of his vocals instead of drowning them out. (Langhorne also sounds more expert and sure of himself as a vocalist than ever before.) Be Set Free isn't a game-changing album so much as it confirms that Langhorne Slim's talent can work within a wider framework than he's used in the past and still honor his gifts, and it's an impressive, pleasurable work. ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
With his high, nasally voice and predilection for warm country-inspired chords, it's easy to compare Langhorne Slim to Neil Young, but his tendency to sing long, run-on, and often non-rhyming sentences in fact puts him nearer to the Bob Dylan school of performance. Musically, Langhorne Slim draws from country, folk, and pop, with plenty of major chords and strummed acoustic guitar. It's uncomplicated but that's excusable: folk music, or neo-folk, doesn't need to be overly complex; the instrumentals can serve their purpose if they provide a suitable background and complement to the vocalist. And although Slim's lyrics sometimes suffer from a lack of innovation and an inflated sense of profundity, he's a capable, even emotive, singer. "Restless" is nicely minor and introspective, and the simplicity of "Oh Honey" actually works quite well. ~ Marisa Brown, All Music Guide
'When the Sun's Gone Down'
Release Date 4/5/2005
Tracks 15
Label Narnack
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
It would be easy to mistake Langhorne Slim for yet another neo-folkie with a song to sing if it were not for the shear exuberance of his performance style on When the Sun's Gone Down. His strained, high, and always intense vocals provide the first clue that this guy isn't another New England singer/songwriter on the make. He kicks off with the energetic, upbeat "In the Midnight," a little ditty accompanied by a frantic drumbeat and a jaunty banjo. Slim's also joined by a group of singers who add odds and ends that can loosely be described as "background vocals." They shout and soar, creating yet another odd texture to these fun, offbeat songs. The acoustic arrangements remind one a bit of late-'60s folk-rock, the kind that groups like the Incredible String Band made in Britain. "Sisterhood" begins with an atmospheric organ before dropping into a banjo-guitar-bass and percussion setup that unrolls like a psychedelic Sunday afternoon. Even on a simple song like "I Ain't Proud" Slim twists and turns and spits out each lyric like they really -- honest to God -- mean something. Some listeners, addicted to a more straightforward folk aesthetic, might find Slim a bit over the top. If folk is to have any future, however, artists will have to move in new, provocative ways like Slim does on When the Sun's Gone Down. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr., All Music Guide
