Monster Music & Movies

Reviews:

Guy Clark has been called a master craftsman, the Maestro and quite a few otherflattering names. In his long career, he's penned tunes for country artists-JohnnyCash and Ricky Skaggs have had hits with his material, including "Heartbroke"which Skaggs' took to #1 in 1982-and was originally signed by RCAas a singer/songwriter, but these days Clark considers himself a folksinger,and on The Dark he sounds like one, especially on "Soldier'sJoy, 1864" a gripping Civil War ballad that incorporates "Soldier'sJoy," one of the best known American fiddle tunes of the era. There'snot much country and no pop touches at all, just a collection of the straightforwardvignettes that Clark's so good at, delivered with acoustic simplicity byClark and his small backing band. The melodies, one of Clark's strengthsas a writer, are strong, straddling the fence between folk and bluegrass, andthe lyrics, delivered in his low-key, raspy tenor, are as deep and heartfeltas any he's ever penned. "Homeless" is the first song in memoryto deal with the subject without preaching, demonizing or romanticizing thepeople we all see everyday on the street, a rare feat. "Bag of Bones"talks about aging, using Clark's trademark self-effacing humor to dealwith the aches and pains of middle age, while "Queenie's Song"gives us the first person account of the grief and rage felt by an old man whena neighbor shoots his dog.