By Dustin Nelson

Dan Israel sounds like an artist on the verge, playing dates across the country with major acts, and penetrating indie radio stations everywhere. Only he’s not a new artist. He has managed, somehow, to stay under the radar for years. Now residing and recording in Minneapolis, by way of Austin and Chicago, Israel’s ninth studio album, Turning, is as good as he’s been. Israel is not a ritzy, edgy artist, he’s playing a Dylan-esque style of folk rock that’s as played out as JNCO Jeans and Chuck Taylor shoes, but he does it so well you want to forget that you’ve heard this all before. His simultaneously soft and grainy vocals are reminiscent of Elvis Costello and Dylan, combining for a charming earthy tone lacing his pop melodies with depth and vigor.

Some of the songs on Turning fall flat, feel lifeless or are otherwise less than ear-catching. But there are enough solid tracks on this album that this has to catch on at some point. Songs like “Occasionally” sound like someone broke into the studio and poured concrete in Randy Newman’s theatrical reverb laced piano melodies. While others, like “News to Me,” conjures the Costello comparison without becoming laborious or redundant.

Israel’s music is a combination of the best pop songwriting from the last three decades; despite all the flaws the songwriting is beautiful and distinct. Even lyrically Israel feels fresh in a stale genre, the gem here being his politically charged “Song for Africa.” Which in a lesser songwriter’s hands may feel forced, or like a page from the Bono handbook, but it feels genuine. With a wonderfully orchestrated cameo from Minneapolis songstress Andra Suchy, he emotional force of this song is a rarity in a time when political music generally means a metaphor-laden reference to an incompetent president. Add to this that Israel isn’t just being political because it’s chic in a time of war (he’s actually donating part of CD sales to Save Darfur and The American Refugee Committee) his album feels like the real thing: real emotion, real songwriting, all in a genre that is derivative, to say the least.

Dustin also writes and is an editor for
indigestmag.com

Filed under: Music Reviews