CD OF THE WEEK (June 1999) :

DOBROJEAN
" 'bout time"
(VIA Blues 1999, 9921032)

My opinion

A man and a guitar (a shiny one), sometimes a harp, a 2nd voice or an old blueshero backing him up .. 15 songs. What more is there to say ??
For instance that this cd has the atmosphere of the Deep South (of the States that is). Dusty plains, dusty country roads, dusty pick-ups and dusty singers with a guitar - a shiny one - all around.
For instance that 14 of the 15 songs are original compositions, and that I was wondering all the time if they were no covers.
For instance that you could compare his music to the works of Chris Whitley (from the period of "Living with the law"), Daniel Lanois or Ry Cooder, but that these comparisons would be a bit too much for DobroJean.
For instance that the singing is not bàd at all, but that it's still weak part of the product DobroJean : to young, too white, to clean ??
For instance that the songs "Sting Jive", "Nobody Knows", "Big & Open World", "All Pain & No Gain", "As Long As I Get Mine" and especially "Better than before" are the ones that left the best impression.
For instance that there are probably a lot of folks strumming their guitar on a front porch in New Orleans with about as much talent as DobroJean, but that they will never get a record deal in the States. And that the world is unjust.
Or, why not : that 'bout time didn't convince me at first, but that this first impression is turning around after a number of spins.

And your opinion?
Did I get it all wrong, or was I spot-on ? Do you want to share your opinion about this cd ? Send it in, and I'll put it up here !

This album in the press:

- gd'h in Rif-Raf : "On "Big Open World" DobroJean comes close to the guitar-style of Mississippi John Hurt and on the title song he's on the same wavelength as John Hammond. No bad references! The album doesn't stay interesting 15 songs long though.."
- P.V.D. in Weekend Knack "a debut with some merit."
- Jempy Samyn in Stage: "With this splendid debut-solo-cd DobroJean ... brings a bit of the Mississippi right into your living room. His shining dobro sounds the way a real reso-guitar should sound, like a kettle. With the strings miles away from the arm, it's clearly an enjoyable thing to slide with a bottleneck on these "wheeping strings of blues-harmony"."
- Metro (De Morgen) : "a felt and integer debut of a musician that has well digested the American roots music." (***1/2)

Did you see a good (or bad) review of this album ? Tell me about it !

More about this band :

- Management DobroJean : 054/50.35.38 Email : Dobrojean@unforgettable.com
- Bookings : Backline. Tel 0032-(0)3-755.25.30. Fax : 0032-(0)3.775.84.20
- Record Company : VIA. Tel : 0032-(0)9-365.40.60. Email : viarecordsbel@hotmail.com

Where to buy this CD ?

You can order this CD from a number of locations (prices researched on June 21, 1999, but nothing guarantees they still are the same when you read this).

Shop	Price of the CD	Shipping + other expenses	Total	Direct Link
Frontstage	607	50	657	Frontstage
Azur	---	0	---
HVH-Megastore	---	54	---
Proxis	---	95	---	Proxis

The lowest price is in yellow, the highest in red. This price comparison doesn't take things into account like deduction of shipping expenses when ordering more than 1 cd, bonus points, differences in guarantees ... Shipping prices are those for customers in Belgium.

Have you seen this record elsewhere on the net, do you own an online-CD-shop with Belgian products in it, or if there's something wrong with my calculations : let me know.

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