|
Gaesteliste (Germany), by Ullrich Maurer
Das ist eine Weihnachtsscheibe, die George Bush nicht gefallen dürfte", mailte der englische Promoter dieser Debütscheibe des Folk-technischen Basis-Kämpfers Jefferson Pepper. Das trifft den Kern der Sache: Mit der "Maschine, die Faschisten tötet" bewaffnet zieht Jefferson Pepper auf den Spuren der Großen seines Genres - Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Steve Earle in dieser Reihenfolge - protestsingend durchs Land. Dass er sich 20 Jahre Zeit nahm, seine Debüt-CD einzuspielen, schadet dabei natürlich keineswegs - denn so hört sie sich auch an, was Spielfreude und Abgehangenheit betrifft. Im Niemandsland zwischen Folk, Country und elektrifiziertem, leicht psychedelischen Rock (also ungefähr Dylans "Nashville Skyline"-Periode) wartet Pepper mit den großen Fragen unserer Zeit auf, zu denen er als guter Musikphilosoph natürlich keine Antworten bietet, sondern sich vielmehr als scharfzüngiger Beobachter am Rande aufhält und sich als Stachel im Fleisch der moralischen Verkommenheit betrachtet. Pepper ist in diesem Sinne tatsächlich ein klassischer Protestsänger, der sich aller Nuancen des Genres bedient. Das ist zwar nicht trendy oder hip, ja sogar ein wenig altbacken - aber das sind Krieg, Korruption und Kulturen-Clash schließlich auch.-Ullrich Maurer-
|
|
|
ChristmasReviews.com, by Carol Swanson
In general, holiday albums do not get confused with vehicles for social change. If you don't like in-your-face, change-the-world music, then stop reading now. Far removed from the typical bouquet of carols, Jefferson Pepper's Christmas in Fallujah is a holiday music anomaly. This is protest music at its finest, exploring the dark underbelly of America's social and political landscape. As for the artist's unusual name, I'm imagining some cross between Jefferson Airplane and Sgt. Pepper, but I could be wrong.Jefferson Pepper is one talented guy, providing all the vocals here, as well as guitar work and a little tambourine. He has tremendous support from a whole host of talented players (nine guys contributing on guitar, banjo, drums, pedal steel, keyboard, fiddle, etc.). The music is highly-charged Americana rock, with bits of punk, folk, and bluegrass tossed into the mix. Pepper doesn't have a "pretty" voice, but a "pretty" voice would an anathema here; instead Pepper's vocals are roughly Dylanesque, though more comprehensible and melodic. Christmas in Fallujah is solid throughout--carefully crafted and well executed. Of the 14 tracks, all but two are Pepper originals. The lyrics are dense and intense; fortunately, every word is available on the artist's site. "Soldier's Joy" is a lovely traditional number and the only instrumental; its upbeat, bluegrass sentiment provides a nice contrast, and Pepper's raucous version of Woody Guthrie's timeless "This Land Is Your Land" matches the album's themes very well. As for Pepper's original tunes, the artist takes no prisoners, aiming effective shots at evil defense contractors ("when they find out what you've done, they might crucify your own son"), faithless lovers, the war in Iraq, profit-obsessed urban growth, and more. While doing so, the album somehow manages to maintain (more or less) a holiday theme, and the results are quite satisfying and impressive. The best songs here are probably the title track "Christmas in Fallujah," a touching ballad about the war from the perspective of a disillusioned soldier, and the memorable "Bethlehem, PA," a lover's lament with especially strong lyrics and a refrain that stayed with me long after the album ended. Jefferson Pepper's Christmas in Fallujah is no mainstream holiday CD, but it is a compelling piece of protest music most appropriate for the season, especially for those seeking something a bit more current and relevant than the average album of traditional Christmas classics. Bravo, Jefferson Pepper! --Carol Swanson
(Reviewed in 2005)
|
|
Le Cri Du Coyote (France)
Un disciple de Steve Earle, cache en Pennsylvanie, nous propose sa vision de son monde, qui ne colle pas vraiment avec celle de son president. Jeff se presente comme un troubadour folk-punk critique et observe, avec une voix limitee mais droite, les travers de son pays. Il le fait avec aplomb, guitares et mos aceres, sans grande nuance mais arme d'une veritable conviction. Un son un peu serre ne rend pas completement justice aux morceaux. Il devrait beneficier de la signature de Adam Landry sur sa prochaine livtaison (Allison Moorer, Ryan Adams). A suivre donc.
|
|
|
OX (Germany), by Myron Tsakas
Christmas in Fallujah“ ist Jefferson Peppers „Rede zur Lage der Nation“, die er in der Tradition älterer Songwriter wie Woodie Guthrie, den er auch mit „This land is your land“ covert, vorträgt. Inspiriert wurde er bei diesem Projekt von der Verschiffung eines Nachbarsjungen in den Irakkrieg, für den die US-Army die einzige Möglichkeit zu einer Ausbildung war – nicht gerade ein Einzelschicksal. Sanfte Klänge („Why?“, mein Favorit), klassischer Country („Interstate highway“) und (fast schon) Rockmusik („Stranded“) wechseln sich ab. Wenn es politisch wird, dann sehr explizit. Ich muss sagen, dass ich in den letzten Jahren eher subtilere (deshalb jedoch nicht weniger politische) Texte bevorzuge, weil man sonst schnell in ein Schwarz-Weiß-Denken verfällt. Das sollte bei der Bewertung dieses Albums allerdings keine Rolle spielen. Es gelingt Jefferson Pepper, die einzigartige Blue-Collar-Haltung aus dem amerikanischen Mittleren Westen zu vermitteln. Mir gefällt „Christmas In Fallujah“ wegen der musikalischen Bandbreite und Tiefe und der großartigen Atmosphäre wirklich sehr, sehr gut: ein toller Eindruck des (man verzeihe mir dieses Klischee) „anderen Amerikas.“ (52:01) Myron Tsakas
|
|
|
Musikkguiden Groove (Norway), by Oddmund Berge
Jul, krig og eit manipulert folk"That's not the sound of reindeer up on your roof at night,
We're coming down your chimney with guns and blinding lights..." No er eg litt usikker på innbyggarane i Fallujah sitt forhold til julefeiring generelt og flygande reinsdyr spesielt. Likevel, eg synst Jefferson Pepper signerer eit verknadsfullt bilde her. Det gjer han faktisk fleire gonger på denne litt uortodokse juleplata. Både krigsbildet og eit par andre bilde. Det han ikkje er like treffsikker i forhold til er å kreere interesseskapande tonar. Kva som er viktigast av orda og tonane i ein song herskar det vel ikkje den store kanoniserte semje omkring. Eg skal ikkje her komme med eit innlegg i den debatten, men konstaterer at det ikkje heilt uefne tekstlige opplegget til Pepper på nokre unntak nær slår litt i lause lufta på grunn av det nokså identitetslause melodiske formularet det er omgitt av. Formularet er countryrock med trykk på rock. Der den elektriske gitaren spelar hovudrolla, men får tett hjelp av diverse andre strengeinstrument, helst av typen ikkje straumførande (akustisk gitar, fele, banjo, mandolin, steel gitar). Men dei skapar for lite nyanserikdom i si samhandling. Dei rir helst midt i vegen i eit udifferensiert og lite interesseskapande flokkmønster. I fylgje eit fyldig presseskriv er ikkje Pepper ein fersking på låtskrivar-fronten (han har visst halde det gåande i 20 år), men Christmas In Fallujah er hans debut i innspelte former. Gnisten til å gjere denne plata vart tent i han då naboguten David Maples blei sendt av garde til krigssona i Irak. Maples hadde, akkurat som mange andre, verva seg i militæret for å skaffe seg pengar til ei framtidig utdanning. I dei 13 låtane på plata plasserer han ulike menneske med den same blue-collar bakgrunnen som Maples i hovudrollene. I tittelkuttet, der han countrygitarrockar i velutprøvde men absolutt dynamisk dugande former, gjev han ordet til ein amerikansk soldat som prøver å rettferdiggjere sitt virke i Irak; "we came to help the people, it's not about the oil". Han trur ikkje heilt på det. Det tyngste og minst subtile angrepet sitt legg Pepper inn i dystre men meloditomme Armageddon For Sale; "manipulate the people, manipulate the facts, use the farce of freedom to justify your acts, send in all your weapons and your contractors too, that's democracy in action, the joke is we'll still vote for you". På vegne av ein familie som har mista ein ung son og bror spør han Why? til sentimentale countrytonar. I eit rimelig dugande organisk tonebilde fortel han i Back to 1999 om den ærlige arbeidarane som blir lurt opp i stry av finansakrobatar, og taper pengane, jobben og familien. Og han kastar seg over Guthrie-klassikaren This Land Is Your Land som om han skulle ha sjølvaste Shane McGowan i hælane. Meir heseblesande enn sjarmerande. Litt ironisk er det kanskje at låta eg finn størst hugnad i er den som ikkje snakkar med ei politisk tunge. Den som skildrar ei bortkommen sjel som ser tilbake på ei håplaus affære med ei Mary i Betleham PA; "in her second floor apartment there would be no virgin birth, so I rode across the desert, a falling star to light my way". Resten av plata kan vi kanskje få la vere i fred, det er jo snart jul. - Oddmund Berge, 13.12.2006
|
|
|
FileUnder (Netherlands)
Geen idee waarom Christmas in Falluja nu pas officieel in Nederland te krijgen is, want al in 2005 konden de Amerikanen zich kwaad maken over of instemmend luisteren naar de anti-Bushretoriek van singer/songwriter Jefferson Pepper. In elk geval is deze plaat - met een titel die bijna lachwekkend is, als het niet zo serieus bedoeld was - op tijd: voor de kerst. Bovendien zijn de Amerikaanse troepen nog niet weg uit Irak, dus ook wat dat betreft is de timing in orde. Als het gaat om platen van deze kwaliteit hadden ook wij verstandige Europeanen graag al vorig jaar kennis gemaakt met het debuut van deze stiefzoon van Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Steve Earle en Vic Chesnutt (die stem!). Elk liedje is een bewijs voor de oprechte woede om sociale ongelijkheid, de waanzin van oorlog en andere socialistische onderwerpen waar zijn grote voorbeeld Woody Guthrie ook al over schreef. Is Jefferson Pepper dan een copycat? Nee, want wat hem onderscheidt van die klassieke protestzanger is de hoeveelheid muziek die Jefferson Pepper tot zich heeft kunnen nemen. Zijn palet varieert van akoestische folksongs, punkrock (in een cover van Guthrie’s "This Land Is Your Land"!), bluegrass tot met Neil Young-gitaren opgetuigde rootsrockers. Hoogtepunt is wellicht het prachtige "Back to 1999", waarin het trieste bestaan van een ontslagen, gescheiden en aan de drank geraakte fabrieksarbeider beschreven wordt. Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Steve Earle en wellicht ook Vic Chesnutt kunnen trots zijn op Jefferson Peppers debuut.
|
|
|
SonicWave Magazine (Spain), by Rafa Garcia-Moreno
Amantes de Hank Williams, Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, John Prime y Steve Earle estáis de suerte. El amigo Jefferson combina el folk, country y bluegrass con el rock afilado y letras punk. Asi el titulo de su disco lo dice todo, un puñado de canciones con referencias a Eron, Osama Bin Laden, Frank Woodrow, Santa Claus y el Mago de Oz. Canciones que diseccionan la sociedad contemporánea con canciones que hablan del desempleo (“Back to 1999”), desilusion juvenil (“Deceived”) y las victimas de Hiroshima (“Plastic Illuminated Snowman”). Un disco que probablemente levante ampollas tanto en la administración Bush, la sociedad estadounidense y en todos aquellos detractores que piensan que Irak ha sido uno de los grandes errores de principios del siglo XXI.Rafa García-Moreno - 31.Dic 2006 11.28
|
|
|
Mistletunes
"We came here to Fallujah to win your hearts and minds/But when we bombed your building your family was inside." Couldn't come over any more on the nose than that in this season of the Iraq Study Group. Pepper is described at his website as a songwriter of two decades' standing, but this is his first album, released originally in 2005. This alt-rock-country album isn't all Christmas oriented, but songs like the country lament "Bethlehem PA" are good to cry in your eggnog over. "Christmas Tree" uses the season as a metaphor for the life and death of a relationship, "Deceived" is about learning there's no Santa Claus, and "Plastic Illuminated Snowman" is a pretty good metaphor for what a country does to its returning soldiers after a war. And as for that title song, well, you'll want a little John and Yoko as a chaser after that one.
|
|
|
Nicky Stardust, by Nick Fulton
A quick glance at the album cover reveals a close resemblance to Jefferson Starship. A quick listen to the music and you discover something very different. Yes, this is a Christmas album, but not in the traditional sense. It’s a Christmas album that shatters the festive spirit, reminding us of the horrors of war at a time when we are happy thinking about ourselves. It’s fair to say you won’t want this album playing as you unwrap your presents on Christmas morning.
Christmas in Fallujah is a highly fueled political protest album, similar to those made during the height of Vietnam in the early 70’s. It’s a bit rock, a bit country, with a David Crosby, John Sebastian San Francisco sound mixed in between. Subjects are lined up like soldiers and shot down one by one. President Bush is the obvious target, but Woodrow Wilson, Enron and even the Wizard of Oz get a good working over.
Ten of the twelve songs are originals, the exception being ‘This Land is Your Land’ written by the legendary Woody Guthrie, and a traditional instrumental piece ‘Soldier’s Joy’. The album is rounded of by a hidden track (‘Plastic Illuminated Snowman’), that seems to pay homage to the record label American Fallout. As another bonus you can also purchase the artwork pictured throughout the liner notes. If you hate Bush, hate capitalism and hate the bloody war, this album speaks for you. Just remember they will always tell us "It’s not about the oil".
|
|
More Reviews...
|
|
