Funkyzeit mit [Franklin] Bruno
I don’t have my copy yet (cough, cough), so I can’t testify that the artwork I put together for it this past spring came out as intended, but according to this post on Fayettenam’s myspace, Local Currency, the Franklin Bruno singles compilation, is now available via direct order along with an Easter basket full of extra goodies I’ll leave it to label impresario Scott Jacobson to tell you about. The CD itself does us the considerable favor of collecting Franklin’s seven-inch EPs of the ’90s—Hermetic Geometry, The Irony Engine, A Sand Dollar Relief Map, and La Radia—and a large helping of compilation appearances from the same era all in one place. These songs, the Hermetic Geometry ones in particular, were my introduction to Franklin’s writing, and a big part of the reason I spent most of a decade playing in a band with him. (The other reasons were the women and the money.) (What?)
I was reminded of, and exasperated by, this same songwriting brilliance more recently when I headed down to New York City to play bass on a bunch of new Human Hearts songs, the moniker Franklin’s adopted as his 21st Century nom de rock. The thing about Franklin’s songs, and perhaps the thing that’s kept them from reaching the audience they deserve, is that they conceal much of what makes them amazing, both lyrically and musically; they’re like ingenious puzzles, seamless on the outside, wondrously complex on the inside. Working up my parts I realized again that this was truly the only way to fully appreciate them: to sit down and actually learn these songs, figure them out, bring their secrets to light. If you’re a musician, try it. If you’re not, ask a musician friend, watch as he’s driven crazy trying to figure out what’s going on, then behold the look of admiration and satisfaction that spreads across his face when he gets it. Or she, of course. Franklin’s an equal opportunity enigma.
On the drive down I reacquainted myself with maybe my favorite Franklin album ever, band or solo, 2002′s A Cat May Look at a Queen. In its seeming simplicity and directness it defies much of what I’ve said above, but here’s the song during which my girlfriend, Patricia, not a huge music person and one not generally given to overstatement in any context, turned to me and said solemnly: “Your friend is very talented.” That he is.
COMMENTS / ONE COMMENT
Posted by Alex on Jul 22 09 at 12:38 pmI was so happy to see this finally see its release. I’ve heard a good bit of the material, but it’s nice to have them on a CD and it made me fall in love with News From Cupid again. I wish Lifetime Seance or Chiliagon got on the comp, but it’s still really well put together.
I’ve still yet to see Franklin live (except with tMG once), but it’s definitely something I need to do if he plays anywhere closer than new york.
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