Jim O'Rourke
Simple Songs (Drag City)
The remarkable talent of Jim O'Rourke has known many vessels. He has produced albums for Wilco and Joanna Newsom, to name a few, played in Sonic Youth and composed the scores for films by the likes of Harmony Korine and Werner Herzog. In the early aughts, he relocated to Tokyo shortly after releasing Insignificance, his last record with vocals.
His inner singer-songwriter returns in the form of Simple Songs, a record that is anything but simple. O'Rourke delves into a world where prog-rock, folk and classical live in a complex harmony. "That Weekend" has a Nilsson-like swagger to it, complimented by flourishing string arrangements and drums played with hummingbird-like precision by Yamamoto Tatsuhisa. He gets existential in "Half Life Crisis", contemplating the temporary nature of life over a piano-guitar duet that echoes the early ‘70s prog of Steely Dan or Yes.
Jim O'Rourke doesn't need your approval, only your time. Lush, expansive and meditative, Simple Songs is worth it.
Rating: ★★★★1/2
