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Various Artists
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Neil Diamond
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Toby Keith
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Wood Brothers
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The American Life
Here’s something different for your CD collection. “This American Life” is a radio show that features stories – usually true – that are unusually compelling. If you are a fan of public radio, then you may already be familiar with the program. Usually, it’s the kind of show that keeps you sitting in your driveway, listening to the very end. As a host of my own (much smaller) radio program, I figure that’s probably the biggest compliment that any radio show can receive. “Stories of Hope and Fear” compiles eleven of these stories on two disks, and much like the radio program, I find it addictive enough to disrupt my schedule. Even though I know I could pause the CD and pick up where I left off, I still found myself sitting in my car, waiting for the story to end before heading inside to my evening dinner.
Each story is extraordinarily compelling as both human drama and comedy. For example, “The Babysitter” is told by an older man and his sister, recalling their ‘need’ as teenagers to invent a family so they could escape the grasp of their mother. It is both sad, funny and touching to hear them relate their deceit, especially in light of the fact that their ninety-something year old mother is still alive. “On Hold No One Can Hear You Scream” is a tale of phone company indifference that everyone can relate to, only hopefully not to this degree. From a technical perspective, each show’s editing is brilliant, utilizing interesting music segments to enhance the mood and allow the pathos to subconsciously set itself in your mind.
Whether or not these stories will hold up after repeated listens is another matter, and I imagine that unlike music, most listeners will not feel inclined to hear the same stories repeatedly. The best use for this collection is during long drives, with a maximum of two people listening. My wife and I listened during a weekend road trip, and we were absolutely glued to the tales. It also made a great change of pace from the relentless series of songs pouring out of my i-pod. Repeated listens notwithstanding, I’d imagine this would make a great gift for friends who don’t show much of an inclination toward pop music. A spoken word collection might not be for everyone, but it will certainly appeal to most. For the first pass, I’d guarantee it.
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