This time of year, you need something warm and comforting to listen to, the musical equivalent of a cup of hot chocolate. And despite a couple of lumpy marshmallows here and there, Dan Israel’s new self-titled record is just that cup.
By now, Israel is an old pro – this is his seventh full-length album in nine years – and his wealth of experience shines through on this CD.
With a voice like John Hiatt’s after a night-long bender, Israel balances his folk-rock songs with equal parts cynicism and romanticism. The record’s leadoff track is a perfect example: the chorus of “Good Times” is “Sometimes I don’t know where the good times hid.” This tone serves the rest of the record well. There are a few tracks that sound like nothing but filler, like “Plenty,”for example, which coasts on a forced rock sound that almost undermines the intimacy Israel exhibits elsewhere.
Where Israel really hits his stride is in simplicity, as in the Josh Ritter-like “Cold Cold Winter,” in which he becomes the billionth songwriter to rhyme “fool” with “cool,” and does so gloriously. “Mystery Train,” too, exemplifies his laid-back style with a catchy melody and bittersweet lyrics.
At the end of the day, Israel charts no new territory, but when you’re buried under snow and living in sub-zero temperatures, you don’t need it. This is comfort food of the highest order, and on tracks near the end like “One Last Time”, you’ll be happy you stuck with it. If Richard Buckner ever hears this record, he’ll wonder why he ever made things so complicated for himself. DB
www.danisraelmusic.com
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