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Let's Just Be

3.3 3.3 out of 5 stars 15 ratings

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Audio CD, April 17, 2007
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From the brand

Track Listings

1 Diamond Ring
2 Good Life
3 Precious One
4 Spacemen
5 Take Me Home
6 Chicago
7 Cockteeze
8 Lonely Astronaut
9 Cocaine Feet
10 Let's Just Be
11 Shake It Off
12 Lack A Vision
13 Gimme Some Company
14 I Will Carry You
15 Yer The Reason
16 Star Song

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Joseph Arthur assembled an All-Sat band to assist him with LET'S JUST BE, his follow-up offering to the critically acclaimed 2006 release Nuclear Daydream. Joseph Arthur along with his new band - the Lonely Astronauts (Kraig Jarret Johnson on keyboard and guitars (Golden Smog, the Jayhawks), Jennifer Turner on guitar (Fur Slide), Greg Wieczorek on drums (Twilight Singers) and Sibyl Buck on bass (Champion of Sound) entrenched themselves in a Los Angeles based studio for three weeks after seven consecutive weeks of non-stop touring. The new material cam so fast and furious for the bands, that Arthuy has decided to release two albums from these sessions. The first, an eclectic rock 'n' roll mix - LET"S JUST BE is released here.

Amazon.com

It's hard to resist the urge to rock out once in awhile. Let's Just Be is proof that even the most smooth-voiced and pop-minded singer-songsters must get their ya-yas out now and again. On some songs, Arthur conjures the early '70s spirit of Mick Jagger while on others he seems to be shooting for Marc Bolan. His most ragged-sounding and strictly rock and roll album to date, the record has a very loosely hewn feel which reaches an apex during the 20 minute (plus) "Lonely Astronaut." That song starts out as a pleasant enough country warble then mutates into a sloppy rave-up before dissolving into a bizarre mantra of the word "I" chanted atop an acoustic guitar and what sounds like a cement mixer, before slipping back into the warble bit. This disc is charming in its own way, and clearly was a blast for all involved--but a tad more editing might have been nice. --Mike McGonigal

Product details

  • Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
  • Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.62 x 4.92 x 0.4 inches; 3.84 ounces
  • Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ LONELY ASTRONAUT
  • Original Release Date ‏ : ‎ 2007
  • Date First Available ‏ : ‎ March 9, 2007
  • Label ‏ : ‎ LONELY ASTRONAUT
  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B000O590AC
  • Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.3 3.3 out of 5 stars 15 ratings

Customer reviews

3.3 out of 5 stars
15 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on July 13, 2007
    As indicated this album is not typical of Joseph Arthur. I do own JA's five prior full length CDs but none of his EPs or single recordings. After reading the first review I felt disappointed as I really enjoy the heck out of his music. He is one of my many favorite artists. So, I figured I buy tons of music without the slightest clue as to what to expect...So why not an album from an artist who has never disappointed. I bought the album and five others at the same time all from the same "alternative genre" and mixed them up and dropped them into my car CD player. I wanted to see if this album would stand out. I had listened to three tracks on this disc before I knew that I was listening to JA. I really liked what I was hearing without presuming an artist or a particular sound. If you do the same this album will stand alone as a great effort. PS The eighth track did bother me a bit on first listen ... less so on subsequent play. Tis' rock and roll folks. Open your mind and this JA CD will take you somewhere new.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2009
    There were only a couple tracts on this one that I enjoyed; otherwise, a waste of time.
  • Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2009
    I gave this 2 stars because as a whole album I think it stinks. But also there are 3 songs that are really fantastic and remind me of Arthur's songwriting from Redemption's Son, which is one of his best albums. Those 3 songs I would give 4 or 5 stars.

    "Take Me Home" is a heartfelt and subdued tune consisting of acoustic guitar, keyboards and mellow drums. Really beautiful. "Chicago" is an interestingly written song that is much more energetic, with loud guitars and a punchy beat. "Lonely Astronaut" is an enigma. It's over twenty minutes long. Parts of it, most of it as measured by the clock, I absolutely love: beautiful songwriting. But here's the thing: at about 8 minutes into the song it suddenly devolves into this cacophany of non-musical guitar strumming, and on top of that Arthur is chanting "aye, aye, aye, aye." This goes on FOR EIGHT MINUTES! Right in the middle of the song. And then, just as mysteriously as it came, it's gone, and the song goes back to what it was doing at the beginning for 4 more minutes. If you could splice the middle 8 minutes out of the song it would be great. I'm generally pretty appreciative of artistic license, but I don't understand the meaning of putting this chaotic, grating mental breakdown in the middle of this song. There's no meaningful transition and no obvious meaningful relationship to the rest of the song. I just don't know what they were thinking.

    Perhaps some explanation comes from this quote from Joseph Arthur: "The philosophy of the whole record was sort of a letting go, that's why I called it Let's Just Be, because it was like everything about that record [came from] a Zen-like approach. Just letting things be how they are."

    There is one other equally horrible part of this album and that would be the song "Shake It Off" with Arthur shrieking like a banshee over an awkward beat. Listen to the sound clip and you'll see what I mean. It doesn't get any better.

    Don't buy this album unless you just buy mp3s of the 3 good tracks (although you can't buy "Lonely Astronaut" as an mp3). Other than my favorite Joseph Arthur album, Redemption's Son, I also love Come to Where I'm From and Our Shadows Will Remain. You can't go wrong with any of those three albums. If you've already got those and you want to deepen your Joseph Arthur collection, consider Vacancy which is very good (although I think it's expensive to buy these days) or And the Thieves Are Gone EP which is solid.
  • Reviewed in the United States on June 9, 2007
    ...AND IN THE WORLD, considering the fact that entertainment is America's Number One export these days. ;-) After putting out his first five albums, perhaps all destined to be classics, Joe has earned the right to be a little self-indulgent. This CD was going for $16.XX when it was released, and now you can't find it for less than $20.00. Apparently the market agrees.

    While "Let's Just Be" is not as painstakingly produced as his other offerings, it is just as musical, moving, and exciting as his other work. This is an artist who excels at writing music that "sounds good." He rarely, if ever, gives himself a break when it comes to practicing his craft. I sense that he searches his talented soul for the "right sound" at every juncture. No cliches here. No music that takes you down a tired, boring road. There is nothing more frustrating for a music lover than listening to formulaic music--the kind so full of overused hooks, for example, that one can anticipate the next few bars and predict their construction on the first listen. Joe excels at creating music that is interesting and exciting, and always new. A pleasant irony given his masterful emulation of great songwriters that have gone before him. He does Neil Young better than Neil Young can, and so on. I get the impression he would not release a "Neil Young-ish" tune if this were not the case.

    And so it goes with the creations on this CD--he does Mick Jagger better than Mick Jagger, in my opinion. I think after listening you would agree that he at least takes the material down new and wonderful pathways not considered by the artists that influence him. I think this is because Joe is not really trying to emulate anyone at all. He is most definitely Joseph Arthur, and uniqely so, when it comes to writing and performing his music. What I believe is happening here is something much more profound. This is about a man who is especially gifted in his generation; a man who hears the song first, both lyrics and melody and all else that makes up a song. Then he writes it down. And as any songwriter worth their salt will tell you, skilfully and sensitively hearing the song is the key. Such a songwriter is rare indeed. I believe the music he writes delights and amazes him as well as his fans, in the sense that he might wonder how on earth he was able to give birth to such work.

    I am a songwriter myself, and I have been influenced and encouraged in a huge way by this artist. He has motivated me to listen and compose what I hear in the same way. In a frame of total honesty, humility and passion for one's craft. To listen for and create that combination of lyric and melody, over the right rhythm, that is the best possible combination for that particular piece. This is what makes great music.

    One last thing. Some argue that Joe's latest rendering here is perhaps too naked, as though it needs to be fully dressed because some of the clothing his music wore on earlier CDs is missing on "Lets Just be." Certainly, the detailed paint strokes we found so beautiful and pleasing before are not present here. But as a well-repected producer wrote in an article I read just yesterday in one of the trade mags, simpler is often better. It is at least just as legitimate if it fits. And when an artist as adept at adding lush details as Joseph Arthur is decides for a certain work to abstain from this, we should assume its because adding more would ruin it. There are few things more difficult than excercising the discipline necessary to say "Enough" when laying down tracks in the studio. Especially these days, when artists, engineers and producers ahve so many tools and fantastic resources at their immediate disposal. I think Joe played it right on "Lets Just Be." Relax and enjoy a true master craftsman's work. Buy the CD before the price goes any higher!
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Top reviews from other countries

  • PMunkus
    3.0 out of 5 stars Let's Just Rock
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 10, 2007
    I got into Joseph Arthur after a friend lent me his albums. (Big City Secrets, Come To Where I'm from, Redemption's Son, Our Shadows Will Remain and Nuclear Daydream.) Since then I've been listening to them constantly;
    Staying up late and blasting them out while sinking deeper and deeper into his lexicon of inspired satire.
    So as you can imagine I was very excited to have some new "Jarthur" songs to accompany me in those lonely nights.
    This time around Joseph is backed by his new band the Lonely Astronauts and as a result the music has a more "jammed out" feel to it. This too, however, is also the albums weak spot. Gone are the perfectly crafted songs such as "Can't Exist," "Honey And The Moon" and "Even Thou," and in their place you get looser, almost messy, sounding tunes. The first couple of songs are a bit more "rocky" and at times it sounds like old school Bowie or T-Rex. Intermingled with the heavy stuff are the usual mellower songs, which at first don't seem that special, but after a few listens they begin to work their way under your skin.
    For the first time on any Joseph album you get a mixture of vocalist. It's great to hear his band mates singing his songs; even if at times their singing is, gracefully, out of tune.

    On first listen I wasn't too impressed with Let's Just Be (especially the track Lonely Astronaut -a 20 minute indulgent jam in which, half way through, Joseph just sings "I" repeatedly.)
    After a week of listening it does grow on you, However, this album won't win Joseph any new fans, but if you've been with him since Big City Secrets give it a try because I'm sure it's enchantingly haphazard nature will have you in rapture.