| Wednesday, March
18, 1998 South by Southwest Music Conference performance at the Electric
Lounge Flagpole Magazine
Online
The Electric Lounge, midnight: Austin's
most brilliant treasure, Daniel Johnston, put on the best rock show
I've seen in the last year. Johnston, looking these days sort of like Nusrat
Fateh Ali Khan with his big belly and flowing hair, possessed absolutely
none of Ali Khan's inner peace playing in front of this packed house, he was
a shaking, manic mess. His backing band of veteran musicians all watched for
clues as to what would happen next as Johnston trembled at the mike, singing
his weird, poignant songs of love and death with the aid of a spiral-bound
notebook. The emotional directness of Johnston's songs (and his cover of
"Yesterday" by the Beatles), combined with the total inability of anyone in
the room to predict the music's course from one point to the next, made for
an exhilarating experience.
Johnston is no stranger to the mental institution, and some have dismissed
him as a mentally-ill geek show. This rare live performance, along with
Austinite K. McCarty's phenomenal tribute on Bar/None, Dead Dog's Eyeball,
prove that Johnston, despite his quirks, is at his core a classic American
pop songwriter.
2001 Rejected Unknown
Pitchfork Review - "Daniel Johnston Rejected Unknown Gammon 2001
Rating 7.5
Why Me? ?(Live
Volksbühne Berlin) - Trikont
(computer translation from German)
Livemitschnitt of the "sagenumwobenen" (SPEX) entrance in the Berliner
people stage in June 1999. Daniel Johnston - the unstable hero of authentic
loss feelings, who outrider of the new sincerity, with whom other earned
then beginning of the '90er's its money, that of Sonic Youth until Nirvana
most abundantly quoted and gecoverte Songwriter, was received in Berlin as
well as a superstar. It reciprocated at the public by means of wing and
guitar and naturally with its wonderful, often so sad and solitary singe
itself. What one names in Daniel Johnston authenticity, is the broken. Not
perfect ion and would smooth will sense, but rather injuries and wounds
visible, and again and again one the joy and enthusiasm about the fact that
it goes in spite of everything, the singing, the Musikmachen.
1999 Santa
Monika - Monika Records
[computer translation of German) The little
and always pretty Label Monika Enterprises offers the person to the largest
living room festival of the world a special dainty. It publishes a
Xmas-surprise-Machwerk with the name "Santa Monika". Presented new,
weihnachtliche will singe the well known Monika interpreters. How in the
Vorjahressampler "music for´s living room" also this project stands under a
special motto: essential matter prettily trashily! And: satisfied 75 minutes
music for very little money. At the same time the curds, bar barons morning
star u.v.a are.
1991 Continued Story + Hi How Are you
there ain't no comfort in this life anymore, September 23, 2002 (pinkmonkeybird)
I think "Walking the Cow" is one of the
most beautiful, saddest songs I've ever heard. The first songs on this
album are more polished, whereas hi how are you is a lot grainier, younger
and far-away sounding. It's a mix of slightly crazed humor (Boys are
Dogs...and Girls are Cats...)and his mournful, high-pitched vocals. I think
this is how all those lo-fi indy guys wish they could sound, but he isn't
trying to imitate anyone, and he's the best. He can write a pop song
amazingly well, yet he's coming up with all this brilliance in his basement
as this point. Johnston sounds like he's splicing in bits of old music
at times, which has a ghostly effect. Oh, it's such a great album, everybody
should have it! (Though most people would probably just be confused.) Go get
it used! It's worth every penny!
Raw Talent, October 1, 2001
Reviewer: aranworld2 from Oakland, CA United States
Part of the charm of Daniel Johnston,
especially on this CD, is that despite the complete amateur quality of the
recordings, there are some truly remarkable musical moments on this CD. I
consider Walking The Cow to be one of the most haunting songs I have ever
heard. And Running Water features one of the simplist poetic lyrics I have
ever heard.
This CD is definately not for the impatient, but if you are tired of the
same old stuff you can hardly get any more different than Daniel Johnston.
An Underrated classic, August 30, 2002
Reviewer: Universe of Sound from Milford, Massachusetts United States
To a curious and daring music listener,
Daniel Johnston is a unique, scathed, honest, and at times frightening
figure in rock. Labeling his music is damn near impossible, as well as the
ability to entirely understand him.
Hi How Are You?/ Continued Story are two
previously separate tapes placed on one disc. Though he was in his early
twenties at the time of their recording, his voice is child-like and pure,
that of someone who seems isolated and fearful. This man almost never seems
comfortable in his own skin.
Perhaps the most amazing aspect of these
recordings is the atmosphere. There's no dishonesty here. No overproduction,
unattainable musical notes, and an elaborate band- only true human emotion.
For the curious listener, this will be one of the most amazing experiences
you will ever discover.
He Is A Baby In His Universe, October 22, 1999
Reviewer:
Myke O'Clock from Seattle, WA
Since the early '80s, Daniel Johnston has
gained notoriety for both his music and his disorder. A diagnosed manic
depressive, he has a regimen of medication to keep his moods down. His
occasional episodes have resulted in physical outbursts on his manager, his
fans, and the police. The music he creates deserves far more attention than
his mental condition, at least in the media. The self-released tapes of his
songs have earned him fans among rock's established (Kurt Cobain, The
Butthole Surfers, Yo La Tengo), as well as the underground respect of zines
and websites across the country. "Continued Story," his 9th release
(recorded in late 1985), finds him in an actual recording studio for the
first time. It also features his first guest musicians, with the Texas
Instruments on five tracks and guitarist Bill Anderson on four. Some songs
still echo his lo-fi past, but a lot of the album makes use of the studio
with overdubs and a slightly more polished production. The CD version on
Homestead Records pairs it up with his 6th tape, "Hi, How Are You."
Subtitled "The Unfinished Album," it was recorded in Sept. of 1983 during a
nervous breakdown. The first few tracks feature the same beaten chord organ
from the "Yip/Jump" sessions, while the rest of the album effectively
utilizes his tone-deaf guitar playing and a couple of old big band records.
"Walking The Cow" was later covered by fIREHOSE, and the closing "Joe"
trilogy is classic Johnston. This collection is the recommended move if you
already have the more consistent "Yip/Jump" CD
1990 Shimmy Disk
Daniel Johnston - 1990 SHM 5028
This album of songs was recorded in three days during Daniel's
much-documented first trip to NY. The music was brilliant, yet Daniel
himself was very ill. He gave most of his money to vagrants soon after he
arrived, and spent most of his time getting into serious trouble. At one
point he disappeared for several days and was finally found on the Bowery
after having been evicted from the local YMCA. These were Daniel's first
"studio" recordings, and contain some of Daniel's best songs and vocal
performances, featuring Lee Ranaldo and Steve Shelley. Even Steve, who tried
harder and longer than anyone else to keep Daniel out of trouble, was
eventually forced to give up, thus leaving Daniel adrift in NY. Eventually,
Daniel found his way home to West Virginia, and eventually, this classic LP
was released and immediately hailed by such luminaries as Kurt Cobain and
Jad Fair as the album of the century. I just might agree with them
Artistic Vice - Shimmy Disk
Daniel Johnston - Artistic Vice SHM 5048
Daniel stopped taking his medications soon after recording began, and it
wasn't long before he was picking a fight with a 250 pound engineer who had
driven half way across the state to help wire the place up. A genius album.
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