The Spinning of the World
Jeff Talmadge
Bozart Records
2000
11 tracks
In the liner notes for The Spinning of the World, Jeff Talmadge uses the term "Performing Songwriters" to describe his musical colleagues in Austin, Texas. In general, I much prefer this to the ubiquitous term, singer/songwriter. Talmadge's term is more appropriate, in my opinion, for two reasons. First, it more clearly distinguishes between the roles of performer and songwriter. Second, it can be used to differentiate artists with talent in both activities from that larger group of artists who often lack talent in one or both areas. This release demonstrates clearly that Talmadge belongs among the Performer Songwriters.
The music on this release is simple, the melodies almost nonexistent. Talmadge's singing is restrained and often almost spoken. The effect is to draw the listener's focus to the words of the songs. More than a storyteller, though, Talmadge is a poet, setting his words to music as a mode of presentation. In this, he joins such artists as Lou Reed, Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Kris Kristofferson, and Lyle Lovett, among others. In fact, Talmadge's vocal style embodies echoes of several of these earlier artists. At times, one hears bits of phrasing reminiscent of Dylan, Lovett and Cohen especially.
The lyrics are simple and evocative. They explore and sometimes bridge that space that grows between friends and lovers and, if they don't always seen to touch that far shore, they have the power and emotion to touch the listener. Like Talmadge's performance, the words suggest a broad range of influences on his writing.
Talmage is beyond the cut and paste stage of young artists, where influences appear like colourful and obvious stickers on the page. Here is an artist who has taken from the greats of his time only what he needs and can use, almost seamlessly incorporating it into his own style. His influences are only apparent and never obvious. If not yet a master of his art, Talmadge is at least an artist who has become comfortable with his own abilities and no longer has to hide behind the tricks of others.
If there is a unifying feel or theme to these songs it is that quiet cynicism heard in songs like Keith Carradine's "I'm Easy" or John Hartford's "Gentle on my Mind." It sneaks up on you in mid-song and gently slides over you and you realize you've been taken to another place.
There are aspects of Talmadge's imagery, the way he phrases his lyrics, and his near laid-back presentation that reminds me most of Leonard Cohen. I don't mean Cohen now but near his beginning: songs like "Suzanne," "So Long, Marianne," "Hey, That's No Way to Say GoodBye," and "The Stranger Song," with their sense of melancholy. Cohen came to performing his poems with music from an interest in country music. Talmadge seems to have came to performing his country music from an interest in writing poetry. Two sides of one coin.
A poet and a performing songwriter, Jeff Talmadge may grow to be a very special artist who in his own time will influence the work of future young writers. In the meantime, he has made an excellent beginning with The Spinning of the World.
Those who want to know more about this Austin, Texas songwriter and his music can find information at www.jefftalmadge.com. Read my new review of Talmadge's release Bad Tattoo at Sound Bytes.
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