REVIEW : Let's Just Be - Vox Magazine

BY DEVIN BENTON

APRIL 19, 2007

Like a spontaneous friend who appears with a wild new hairstyle or the latest fashion statement, singer-songwriter Joseph Arthur has switched it up on Let’s Just Be. Unfortunately, like pink hair or white shoes in December, abandoning what works for the edgy and new doesn’t always impress.

Arthur and his band, the Lonely Astronauts, run into trouble on this latest effort when flirting with territory far afield from previous material. Let’s Just Be offers some of the soulful, straightforward acoustic music he’s better known for on albums such as 2002’s Junkyard Hearts series. Too often the album crosses into an amped-up version of bluesy rock ’n’ roll that weighs down the music.

It’s understandable for artists to tinker with their style, but trying to flex the creative muscle can make for tricky decisions. On the one hand, some musicians want to evolve their sound to ensure that the every-song-sounds-the-same moniker doesn’t stick. On the other, it’s important, particularly for an accomplished indie artist trying to broaden his appeal, to give audiences a clear idea of what to expect.

Arthur does score a few winners on Let’s Just Be even when confusingly switching sounds. In “Diamond Ring,” Arthur gives a strong Mick Jagger impersonation similar to “Honky Tonk Women.” Later in “Cockteeze,” Arthur’s moaning, howling falsetto would make AC/DC’s Bon Scott proud.

The fact that he wants to continue moving forward and not retrace old territory is worthy of acknowledgement; however, this time the results are much like the album itself: mixed.