REVIEW: Dan Bern, Fifty Eggs (Work)
- Bill Holmes
Imposingly bald with aggressive lyrics and street cred that includes homage (and now, production) from anti-folk queen Ani DiFranco, Dan Bern should by all means scare the living shit out of the casual observer. And that's as it should be, because Bern is anything but a casual artist. His voice alternates from just on key to just off, the acoustic settings range from straight ahead folk to bluesy swagger to six string punk, and he can cram in more words per second than just about anyone. If you're thinking Dylan, you're not as far off as you might think. Mix Mister Zimmerman with Ed Hamell and you're closer to the mark.
Bern's songs are acute social observations, from the humorously pointed "Cure For Aids" to the scathing "No Missing Link" ("They look for the missing link / there is no missing link / we are the genetic mutation / aliens came and fucked the monkey.."). "Different Worlds" is composed of nothing but innocent observations about how different black and white people can be, yet the overall effect is like a bucket of cold water. And for those who are fans of anthemic folk songs, steer yourself to "Rolling Away".
Bern spatters his songs with namechecks - "Monica" is an apologetic ode to Seles, "Chick Singers" could be the Lilith Fair's national anthem, and somehow, within a song called "Tiger Woods" he uses Woods, Ali and Madonna as props to hammer home the idea of standing up and taking chances. The device works well - Bern's songs demand your attention. And just when you think it's all cynicism and outrageous lyrics, Bern slips in a ballad like the almost doo-wop "Everybody's Baby" or "Oh Sister", a sweet homage to sister Jennifer...
"Down Midwest backseat bumpy streets /You sang my Beatle songs with me / I sang your Broadway melodies / Bad Harmony / And where would Willie Mays have been / Without Jackie Robinson..."
Fans of literate music - Wainwright, Dylan, Hiatt, Earle - should be happy to find another member of the team. Although it's too soon in his career to toss Bern into such lofty veteran company, Fifty Eggs is a great step forward from his eponymous record. As Dan himself says, "beauty shows up where you least expect to find it."
