CD Review: Art Linton

“The Lovely Star,” the opening track on Art Linton’s new album, “Fool for You,” nearly produces a feeling of anxiety, at first. The track has the ingredients of a tried, tested and discarded formula—a heard-it-before riff, and not a particularly catchy one at that, with an uninspiring chorus to match.

Next up is “Open Road,” yet again, another familiar-sounding jangle. But just as you might think the 18-track album, a collection that represents genre-crossing influences, is heading into sophomoric obscurity, the point becomes clear. Linton is not trying to own a sound. Instead, those hard-strummed chords (G-C-D, etc) are a necessary platform for his lyrical parody. So take “Fool for You” with a pinch of whimsical acceptance and you’re left with an accomplished, rich piece of work.

Drawing on funk, folk, classic rock, rock, bluegrass and even rockabilly (“Soul on Fire”), the album moves at a bright, steady pace. And Linton continuously offers up commentary on life, dwelling on a wealth of personal challenges through a comical filter.

“Irony of Life,” which, like “Soul on Fire,” appears on the album twice in two different styles, is a Linton standard-bearer. When crooning the words “nothing is going to save me from the irony of life…Yes, I’ll be alone again,” a shrug-of-the-shoulders sense is apparent, as if he’s willfully taking his fate on the chin.

In many ways, Linton’s outlook is refreshing. Other songwriters would tackle such themes with grave sincerity. Yet, he's challenging the listener to (a) accept inevitable powerlessness and (b) just say,” Oh, well, here we go again.” It's kind of a philosophical remedy for dealing with life.

Again, that’s why Linton wisely avoided a more erudite sound. His lyrics, full of wit and humorously mirroring the human condition, would have otherwise drowned.