JD Souther, now in his late 70s, has released the best work in this career after his commercial peak.
Souther had big hits in 1979 and 1981 with the songs “Your Only Lonely “ and “Her Town Too,”, respectively then released the critically acclaimed and commercially ignored 1984 gem Home by Dawn, before taking a career break until 2008’s If the World Was You. Souther continued to write hit songs for his compadres and occasionally perform live but he jumped into acting and focus on raising a family.
Luckily, JD Souther was approached by Slow Curve with a one-album deal, and returned to recording his own music. If the World Was You is not Home By Dawn. Working with a small budget and self-produced, Souther and engineer Niko Bolas created a work which sounds both classic and contemporary.
Primarily recorded live in the studio with a five-piece combo, the album contains brilliant Souther lyrics with wonderfully arranged jazz melodies. If the World Was You opens with “I’ll Be Here at Closing Time,” and it may well be the best Souther composition. That’s high praise for the man who wrote “Faithless Love” and co-wrote “New Kid in Town.”
The opening chords from Jeff Coffin and tenor sax and Rob McGaha on trumpet snap the listener to attention. Souther’s acoustic guitar conspires with Jim White’s tasteful brushwork on drums to lock in the rhythm, while the bassist (either Dan Immel or Jim Mayer) provides sparse acoustic bass passages. Chris Walters, a long-time JD Souther accompanist, joins the mix on an acoustic piano.
Lyrically, the ever-romantic Souther paints a scene of a young man waiting for his love to join him in the parking lot after she gets off work. The narrative is vibrant, as is McGaha’s trumpet solo. Nothing is wasted in the sonically perfect song.
“House of Pride” picks things up in fine fashion. Guest Bela Fleck’s acoustic banjo is a perfect foil to Souther’s spry vocal. The rhythm section matches Fleck’s enthusiasm, as Walters hits home the main theme on piano. The interaction of the live band seems to have inspired Souther’s vocals, which seem recorded with no touch-ups or auto-tuning. The songs moves forward with an uneasy tension which is both joyous and and foreboding.
“Journey Down the Nile” reels things in a bit. Walters’ piano locks in with the horn section to press the main theme. Again, Souther’s lyrics are vivid – yet not a word is wasted. The song transports you to an exotic place where you observe the flirting and action. The coy acoustic bass, taunt rim work on the drums underscore the theme. McGaha gets to make the big musical statement with a mid-song solo, but by this point you are drawn into a world that you don’t want to leave. On his 2009 live album, Rain: Live at the Belcourt Theatre, Souther and the band conjure a version of the song which is even more enchanting.
Perhaps the most rock-like song on the album is “One More Night.” Souther provides an acoustic guitar solo which lays atop a rather conventional pop rhythm. Jeff Coffin’s soprano solo could fit on a Dave Matthews album. While the song is an entertaining jaunt, it’s weighed down by unnecessary female vocals. Perhaps “One More Night” is a palette cleanser.
“In My Arms Tonight” again threatens to rival “Go Ahead and Rain” and “Faithless Love” as the best JD Souther song. The piano vamp which interplays with the the bass and drum work sets the scene of love, loss and regret. Souther leaves nothing on the table with his vocals. He works his range like a grizzled jazz veteran taking the listener for a slow-burning wooden rollercoaster ride.
Conceived on a cultural visit to Cuba, “Rain” has a the Latin feel provided Walters’ piano and the drum/bass interaction. Lyrically Souther’s theme is more obtuse, and he continues to press the point with powerful yet laid-back vocals. The female vocals (en Espanol) are a nice if unnecessary touch. The vamping “A Chorus of Your Own” continues the rain theme, but drops the optimism of the preceding song. The extended trumpet solo carries the anguish, as the band builds the intensity.
“The Border Guard,” the radio release from this album, doesn’t have a sound that one would claim is radio-friendly. The mid-tempo adult contemporary song is gentle and elegant, with Souther’s guitar and Walters piano establishing the theme. Souther delivers an earnest vocal with lyrics which focus on the boundaries of relationships and love. The horn sections is appropriately restrained, with McGaha providing a melodic muted trumpet solo.
Coffin and McGaha set the tone on the upbeat “Brown (Osaka Story)”. Coffin in particular is inspired with his off-kilter soprano solo, while the rhythm section bounces along. Lyrically, Souther offers splashes of story which partially reveal why Osaka in the raw flame. As the song breaks down at the end, I’m not sure I have the entire picture, but maybe that’s the point.
His epic album closer “The Secret Handshake of Fate” combines the adventurous arrangements, intriguing lyrics, rousing solos and powerful vocals in an over 12-minute show stopper. The song has a distinctly live feel with all the members of the band in one room. Souther, handling electric guitar, provides a Detroit-like R&B vibe. Despite over 10 verses, Coffin, Walters and McGaha get time to stretch. Coffin seems particularly inspired, which in turns boosts Souther’s vocals.
“The Secret Handshake of Fate” is a daring end to JD Souther’s most daring album. This and the two studio releases that followed demonstrate that a great artist in the second half of his career can still deliver compelling work.
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