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John Cale
I can’t help but wonder if John Cale is frustrated by the course of his career. He has continually released music that is provocative and yet pleasing, but the marketplace always seems two or three steps out of sync with him. Cale’s release schedule has been sporadic at best, and HoboSapiens might be his most interesting and provocative batch of tunes since Paris 1919 was released in the ‘70s. For somebody who can trace his lineage all the way back to the mid ’60s (when he was a founding member of Velvet Underground), Cale has no problem keeping up with the times; in fact, the opposite might be true. The production on Hobosapiens is strikingly contemporary, at times almost urban in its usage of samples and programmed rhythm tracks. Ultimately, though, it is an extraordinarily organic record, with tremendous diversity from track to track. Cale veers between styles like a master, retaining his artful ability for creating unique songscapes, with an emphasis on clever, introspective lyrics.
Hobosapiens sounds like an album that Cale made to his own specifications. It is as though he recognizes that today’s shallow music scene will not accept him on their terms, so he opts to stick to his own. Mankind’s inability to find resolution within ourselves appears to be the overriding theme here, and it makes for some interesting listening. The results are sometimes bitter (“In Zen and the Art of forgery, we’re losing control of light”), sometimes introspective (“What a shame we carry with us the residue of fools”), but always fascinating. Critics often bemoan Cale’s artful approach to music…as if that’s a bad thing. Cale is obviously a fan of fine art, and he uses this knowledge to draw parallels, referencing everyone from Magritte and Picasso to El Greco along the way, thus demanding attention from the listener. It is music that rewards multiple listens, as meanings unfold within the framework of his delicately constructed soundscapes.
Despite his reputation as an avant-garde composer, Cale’s approach remains accessible throughout Hobosapiens. The mood here is restrained and introspective, and perhaps a bit playful, but never manic. Diversity is tantamount, with each track occupying a unique space among the twelve tracks represented here. In an alternate universe, where intelligence, talent and artful expression determine a record’s popularity, this collection of songs would be in the top 10. Unfortunately, John Cale doesn’t live in that universe, but Hobosapiens offers us the opportunity to live in his universe for a while. I suggest that you take it.
Grade: 
 
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