Johnson - Hard Mouth To Feed
Johnson
Hard Mouth To Feed
1998 Sony
So every once in a while you get a big wtf purchase from the bargain bin. Johnson is one of those. Released in 1998, there is almost nothing anywhere about this release, or the band itself. It's name certainly is not helpful, as is the fact that the duet only go by their first names, Noah and Rayne. It is on Sony, was released well into the period when online promotion was in swing (1998) and has some heavy hitters attached, including producer/keyboardist Andrew Hale of Sade and Sweetback, and big league session players John Giblin (Brand X, Simple Minds, Annie Lennox) and percussionist Pandit Dinesh (Dizrhythmia and Carol Wheeler), and even sports some sweet art direction. But in terms of coverage...
Nada.
Well, almost nada.
A few small interviews and press junket reviews, but no real clue as to how these guys got signed and got hooked up with Hale, or what the hell happened after this albums release. They just seem to have bought 1 way express passes to the Bermuda Triangle of music history. Rarely am I confounded so (which is possibly why I am giving it this much press).
My review of this album is pretty simple. It's a respectable debut, but uneve. For fans of Sade or Sweetback, there is only a cursory similarity between the two, and even then it is only in spots performance and production-wise; it bears some of the clean but earthy folk of Sade's Love Deluxe and Sweetbacks Stage 2, but that is where all parallels end. This is not a soul or ambient dub album. It's a very straightahead folk-pop and mellow blues soiree being sung. The foundation is Noah's raspy mid-range vocals accompanied by Raynes nondescript harmonies and acoustic strumming about. Rayne is functional as an acoustic guitarist (Kaki King or even Jonatha Brooke she ain't) but given the ascetic arrangments, works very well, and augmented in inventive ways via Hale keeping the stripped down feel constant, and only adding flourishes as is needed to keep the tunes from getting coffee-house open-mike night redundant. He follows a pattern similar to Sweetback productions (as well as music produced by dudes like Jon Brion and Tony Berg), mixing the immediately familiar with bits of exotica: melodeon, pedal steel, upright bass and string quintet among the needed additions.
As good as all that sounds, I can't help but think that this musical backdrop is in need of being released as an instrumental chill-out album, because the songs are often very pedestrian (nee coffeehouse open-mike night in ambience). There is a stanza or three of above par lyrics, and even a few stabs at real sentimental singing of them, but much of it just toils along. Noah, who is most memorable for the album cover as having a cleft chin like Homer Simpson's asscrack and looks much like a Vin Diesel impersonator, just does not strike me as a threat to the Bob Dylan legacy. Not that Rayne is anymore convincing; she looks like Paris Hilton, only more Scandanavian and less sleazy (like Paris meets a Gap Ad), and like I said, sings in a very nondescript, waifish manner "Oh...my...gawd...I just so cannot get anymore air into my teenie lungs. This like soooo sucks." is the dialogue that comes to mind.
Maybe it will grow on me, but after a few listens the music is holding up but the singing isn't.
Hard Mouth To Feed
1998 Sony
So every once in a while you get a big wtf purchase from the bargain bin. Johnson is one of those. Released in 1998, there is almost nothing anywhere about this release, or the band itself. It's name certainly is not helpful, as is the fact that the duet only go by their first names, Noah and Rayne. It is on Sony, was released well into the period when online promotion was in swing (1998) and has some heavy hitters attached, including producer/keyboardist Andrew Hale of Sade and Sweetback, and big league session players John Giblin (Brand X, Simple Minds, Annie Lennox) and percussionist Pandit Dinesh (Dizrhythmia and Carol Wheeler), and even sports some sweet art direction. But in terms of coverage...
Nada.
Well, almost nada.
A few small interviews and press junket reviews, but no real clue as to how these guys got signed and got hooked up with Hale, or what the hell happened after this albums release. They just seem to have bought 1 way express passes to the Bermuda Triangle of music history. Rarely am I confounded so (which is possibly why I am giving it this much press).
My review of this album is pretty simple. It's a respectable debut, but uneve. For fans of Sade or Sweetback, there is only a cursory similarity between the two, and even then it is only in spots performance and production-wise; it bears some of the clean but earthy folk of Sade's Love Deluxe and Sweetbacks Stage 2, but that is where all parallels end. This is not a soul or ambient dub album. It's a very straightahead folk-pop and mellow blues soiree being sung. The foundation is Noah's raspy mid-range vocals accompanied by Raynes nondescript harmonies and acoustic strumming about. Rayne is functional as an acoustic guitarist (Kaki King or even Jonatha Brooke she ain't) but given the ascetic arrangments, works very well, and augmented in inventive ways via Hale keeping the stripped down feel constant, and only adding flourishes as is needed to keep the tunes from getting coffee-house open-mike night redundant. He follows a pattern similar to Sweetback productions (as well as music produced by dudes like Jon Brion and Tony Berg), mixing the immediately familiar with bits of exotica: melodeon, pedal steel, upright bass and string quintet among the needed additions.
As good as all that sounds, I can't help but think that this musical backdrop is in need of being released as an instrumental chill-out album, because the songs are often very pedestrian (nee coffeehouse open-mike night in ambience). There is a stanza or three of above par lyrics, and even a few stabs at real sentimental singing of them, but much of it just toils along. Noah, who is most memorable for the album cover as having a cleft chin like Homer Simpson's asscrack and looks much like a Vin Diesel impersonator, just does not strike me as a threat to the Bob Dylan legacy. Not that Rayne is anymore convincing; she looks like Paris Hilton, only more Scandanavian and less sleazy (like Paris meets a Gap Ad), and like I said, sings in a very nondescript, waifish manner "Oh...my...gawd...I just so cannot get anymore air into my teenie lungs. This like soooo sucks." is the dialogue that comes to mind.
Maybe it will grow on me, but after a few listens the music is holding up but the singing isn't.
posted by theloniusfunk at 12:50 AM
6 Comments:
Hello, just saw your review, no idea how long its been there, the group changed to Ellis, then Ellys and played ALOT of shows a few years back. They have only played a few since and im not sure after anything past that. Hope this helps. Mel
So it must have been two years since I did a Google on Johnson and Hard Mouth to Feed. And here it is on a dead blog!
One of my favourite albums a random recomendation from a forgotton music mag got me tracking it down, copying, buying even collecting this and the singles.
Treasured it is and an old friend. For some reason it resonates for me and whilst I could imagine some of your observations this album fils me with joy, love, ansgt, despair and happiness.
For a short time there was even a label hosted forum that we excitedly pondered the idea of a tour - I wish.
A hidden gem - for them I wished they got the reverence they deserved - for me - I have a secret pleasure.
Track it down.
Share it.
Play it in the quiet moments - alone or with a loved one.
Gav Cross
(Fortom)
Here is mention of that elusive Noah & Rayne duo!
I am searching for an animation, about 50 minutes long, called Fallen Angels. I have it on VHS (with a lot of fall out now) and my searches are eclipsed always by the japanese generic thingy by the same name. The music is credited to one 'Noah & Rayne'
I'd love the soundtrack.
If anyone can help in this quest please..
sparkyroots on youtube & facebook
regards to all.x
OMG i thought i was the only one that loves LOVES LOVES and knows every single word on this album!my mum used to work for them and they (noah and rayne) were sooo lovely, they gave us loads of signed stuff and replied to my letter (when I was 9 years old)! Im sad that they weren't hugely successful because they really deserve it. Amazing songs and such nice people. Hope they make more music!!
Johnson rocked.
Just saw Noah released a solo album last year. Details on www.noahfrancisjohnson.com
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