A Review of "That's All..."

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Folk-rock?  Modern rock?  That’s all right…THAT’S ALL

written by Chris Moore

 I.

     The album begins with a somewhat caustic blues-based number of protest song proportions, followed up with a cover of a Bob Dylan song. (Editor's note: The song only existed in the first-run copies of the album that were never sold.  It could not be released on this CD because of copyright issues.)  Another string-snapping acoustic/political tune from Dylan’s early 60s canon?  No; instead, a country-rock song. 

     This is the nature of Jim Fusco’s stripped down (as much as that term can apply to anything produced by him) album, That’s All Folks.  Unfortunately, abiding by the standards of critical review, I am unable to fully review his work, having established a close personal and professional relationship with the author.  (But let’s see how close I can come to a complete and reliable commentary…)

     “This album is Jim Fusco’s attempt at creating a modern folk album.  In his opinion, the love of classic folk songs has diminished over the years, so he decided to create an album with a mix of original songs and classic covers,” his liner notes read. 

     “This sound is completely different from most previous Jim Fusco work and showcases the acoustic guitar as the main instrument for an album once again.”

     He sings like Jim.  There’s still a concentration and a passion for perfecting vocal harmonies.  He strums like Jim, solidly and on the beat.  But, in the tradition of his rapidly progressing guitar method, the guitar work has taken leaps and bounds from his previous music.  He breaks into solos as if he was a blues guitarist leaning forward in a rocking chair on your front porch.  He turns around and busts out a “Dirty Dish Rag” that is almost too fast to be true.

     Jim has avoided the temptation to slack off in the lyrics department.  Having earned a reputation as more of a musician than a poet, this album hints at a new lyrical direction for Jim.  He brings cover songs into his recorded repertoire for the first time, brushing the dust off of lesser-known gems by Gene Clark and Paul McCartney. (Again, these cover songs only existed in the first run, never sold, copies of the album) 

     These are the signs of a revolution a-brewin’ on the horizon (okay, so maybe I’m a bit too excited about this whole folk song thing…).  Seriously, the great songwriters of our time, among them Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, and the Beatles, have deferred to older, traditional popular songs on the eve of major original breakthroughs. 

     That’s All Folks notes the blues in the stars and stripes of Old Glory, revamps previous Jim Fusco material, leads a tour of a peaceful, cobblestone town, describes a “perfect pair” of lovers, pleads for that stability to continue, demands honesty, and foreshadows a future of difficult decisions.

     And when he’s not singing any of these, Jim Fusco is always sitting somewhere, strummin’ on his acoustic guitar.

II.

     Just coming off an album that should have propelled 19 year old singer/songwriter Jim Fusco into the world of acoustic/folk minimalism, Jim shocked the world with the release of his fifth album That’s All Jim.

     Okay, maybe he didn’t stun the population, but he might have.  From track one, the album dives directly into the core of Jim’s personal brand of piano/guitar-based music—with several new twists.

     A drastic improvement in recording quality and sophistication is immediately noticeable, even to the untrained ear (such as myself).  This is not to say that Jim’s previous albums were recorded at anything less than great quality, but his equipment and style has matured dramatically.

      Where guitar solos were previously distinct sections of a song, Jim’s lead guitar runs end to end, fading in and out on a whim.  Where the bass in previous albums had been dominated by a keyboard sound, Jim has now turned his skills to an actual bass guitar, continuing the important tradition of Jim Fusco bass lines with considerable skill on the relatively new instrument, first heard on his previous album. 

     That’s All Jim has all the ingredients for an incredible rock album.  There’s the upbeat and riff-driven songs—“That Was the Day,” “This Side Up.”  There’s the slower, love songs—“My Promise,” “Happy Tears.”  There’s the killer closing song, sounding as though it contains three songs in one, just enough to keep you guessing when or if the album will end—“Where Do We Go From Here?”

     Of course, the album does have an end.  I’m not all that sure that Jim has decided where to go from here, but I think the answers are fairly clear.  First, Jim should definitely sit back, look to Becky (who is described in the liner notes as his “love and inspiration”), and keep on recording original Jim Fusco songs.

     “This album represents the kind of music Jim aspires to make,” the liner notes read.  From personal knowledge, I couldn’t agree more.

     In a broader spectrum, the listener is left with some answers to the question of where to go from here.  First, continue to buy Jim Fusco merchandise (sorry, that’s evil propaganda sneaking in there…). 

     First, please know that music is perhaps the most important thing to Jim (I said “thing,” so Becky doesn’t count in this list).  Judging from the fact that eight of the ten songs on this album deal directly with love and relationships, the answer is to love and be in relationships. 

      Experience life.  Sing, write, and love.  That is all.

III.

     I have one final, somewhat evil agenda to play out, and that is the purchase of Jim’s double album That’s All.  If you’re only into jazz, this might not be the album for you.  If you won’t listen to anything except rap and hip hop, then Jim Fusco might not be the recording artist for you (but then, there’s always next album…).

     Seriously, That’s All is the best, most affordable, and most enjoyable means of coming to know Jim’s music.  I get to hear him first-hand, sitting around in a basement and jamming to our own songs and the songs of others, and I have heard this album a number of times.  And I’m telling you that this is the essential Jim Fusco double album.

Listen to the Entire Album Online!