Lyle Lovett - Joshua Judges Ruth

Leave it to the poker-faced Lovett to use a biblical joke to underline the thread of tangled relationships that weave between the wisecracks on this, his fourth album. With his elegantly drawled tenor and modulated sense of country, gospel, and R&B inflections, the Texan songwriter extends the larger ensemble settings and contrasting moods achieved with his preceding album, Lyle Lovett and His Large Band, again mixing shaggy dog stories ("Church"), atmospheric portraits of places and people ("Baltimore"), and fatalistic love songs ("North Dakota") that underline his acknowledged debt to other Lone Star songwriters like Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, and Nanci Griffith. Yet his ease with frank rock elements, and an often urbane outlook, point up a musical kinship with L.A.'s folk-rock wing, notably Jackson Browne. --Sam Sutherland Amazon.com essential recording

my favorite Lyle Lovett cd so far

Of all Lyle's great cd's, so far this is my favorite. Whenever I've been to a funeral, I always feel like listening to it. Highly highly recommended. October 1, 2008

Lyle who?

Radio stations don't exactly beat you over the head with this guy. I got this album because some audiophile site listed this as a very well recorded album that was also good music, and whaddya know, not only is it a very clean recording, the music's awesome too! My first Lovett album, but not my last. Lock the door, unplug the phone, pour a drink, and turn it up. June 20, 2008

Lyle can bring it

There are some very good songs on JJR, but the standout is Church. Going to church was never like that when I was a kid, but I can still identify with the concept. It's a standard now.. played at every concert I've been to and with good reason. Lyle's sense of humor is very dry, and his delivery is perfect. You have to hear it for yourself. May 7, 2008

Fifth Dimension Revelation of a Classic

"Joshua Judges Ruth" has been at the top of my playlist for the 16 years I've owned the original CD. It's always been my favorite Lovett Album (although there are other Lovett songs I'd love to somehow attach to it). It is a materpiece for sure, a deep and sanguine look into the heart of southern culture and slices of American life. There is so much here that resonates with me and my own peculiar upbringing, thoughts and feelings that it never occurred to me it could be improved upon and, in fact, I had for a long time avoided picking up the dts version for some strange reason. Then I came across this edition forged by the late Brad Miller, and realized I was probably missing something.

Was I ever.

Take one of the great American albums of the past half century, add some updated technology and touch it with the hand of engineering genius and the result is an almost mystical experience. Sonically this thing is beyond reproach and, in fact, reveals details in the recording I have never heard before. Also, as others have pointed out, the staging puts the listener precisely where he'd be on any given cut ("Church" being the finest example). Talk about "Varieties of Religious Experience"! William James could have added a chapter had he heard this.

One of the reviewers questioned the peculiar (and so very conspicuous) use of reverb on "Baltimore." I think I can explain, as this song strikes a very personal and painful chord for me: one must imagine wandering through an old, empty house, and the faulty accoustics of such an environment. The treatment of this song evokes a sort of quiet horror and sadness which the hollowness of the sound brings down on the sensitized listener like a velvet hammer. Very effective. Very disturbing. No one does disturbing like Lovett, though, so it fits with the rest of the work on the album. You get over it and keep going.

The rest of the material is just brilliant, if somewhat less inclined to induce nightmares. Ranging from the bitter to the bittersweet to the joyous and nearly demented ("Church" again), there is nothing not to love about this album, and with the Brad Miller dts treatment there is much to which one could easily become addicted, even after thinking one has already been addicted for 16 years.

Way beyond a 5-star experience. February 8, 2008

Really great cd

I really like this cd and I want to give it 5 stars, but something is just holding me back. I'm a lyle lovett fan, and I think the only reason I'm giving it 4 instead of 5 stars is b/c it was recommended so highly to me by a couple of my friends. I really like it, but it's just not up to the standards that I had given it. As you can see, I realize this, but that doesn't change the fact that, to me, it's still only a 4 out of 5 star cd. October 1, 2007

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