Published on Mar 6, 2000
Robert Burke Warren must be thinking that I hated his work. You
see, a few months ago, he asked if I’d be willing to give his debut
CD,
…to this day, a review here on “The Daily Vault”.
Unfortunately, time and the crush of daily mail kept pushing his
disc back on the list – and every time I did listen to it, I kept
thinking that I was missing something crucial.
So now, three months after he sent it, he must be thinking that
I didn’t want to put him through a bad review. Well, Robert – and I
know you’re reading, ’cause you keep asking me what I thought of
the disc – that ain’t gonna happen. There are some weaknesses on
…to this day, but overall Warren creates a musical tone
that is both different and pleasant to the senses.
Part folkie, part Tom Petty and part Lou Reed, Warren dares to
break through both stylistic limits of folk rock and Southern life
through his music, taking on the ghosts of his ancestors as well as
of those he’s loved and let go throughout his life. It’s sometimes
a difficult listen – I’ve listened to the disc about 10 times, and
there are still portions I get bogged down in – but if you’re
willing to put in the time and energy, it’s a rewarding listen.
When Warren takes on the Lou Reed persona, as he does on
“Milledgeville,” things don’t always work to his advantage, and he
comes off sounding more smug than I think he intended the character
to be. Fortunately for Warren, he doesn’t go into this vein of
songwriting and performance often, and the slip is easily
forgiven.
Religion is an important part of Warren’s songwriting, and two
songs that deal with the subject back-to-back, “I Want Her Faith”
and “Radio Church,” are strong efforts. “I Want Her Faith” is a
powerful song that proves that even in the worst of situations,
someone can always believe that the good in things is just around
the corner – something that the singer might not quite believe, but
wants the power to share in. “Radio Church” is either a backhanded
slap at religious broadcasts or belief in them, I haven’t quite
decided yet. Also worth mention here is “Falling Into Grace,” a
song that doesn’t necessarily deal with religion outright, but
marks the beginning of the strongest portion of
…to this day.
The first four songs on this disc are the most difficult to get
through; “Dark Angel Eyes” and “Milledgeville” seem to set you up
to expect the rest of the album to fall in similar lines. Maybe
that’s why “Ruby Red” feels out of place here – it’s otherwise a
great song that might have been better served if it had been
positioned elsewhere on the disc.
“Josephus Cries” isn’t an easy song to get through, but it’s
worth the effort as it tells the story of a man in the post-Civil
War South who is having difficulty getting used to having to honor
the memories of his fallen comrades while watching daily life try
and deal with the once-hated North. (The information that Warren
provides on this track over on his website is especially
helpful.)
Once you get past the first four songs, though,
…to this day takes off like a rocket. Tracks like
“Tomboygirl” (a charming tale about falling in love with a lesbian,
in Warren’s own words), “Blue Impala” and “Give Me My Love” all
suggest that Warren is poised to be a major player in this genre –
all the while carving his own unique path musically. Closing the
disc with “Jacksong,” a lullaby to Warren’s son, is the perfect
ending to this album.
Granted, listeners might not be willing to put such an effort
into a disc like
…to this day – screw it, that’s their loss. Warren needs
to tighten things up a little bit (mostly in the positioning of
songs), but if this disc is a portent of things to come, let’s all
look forward to future days and future releases.