95 North. . . The Newspaper

John Prine recently released a single, his first original work in years, entitled "Summer End". The tune is classic Prine all the way, complete with a gently plucked acoustic guitar and Prine's unforgettably causal, yet world-worn delivery. While the song is indeed titled "Summer End", it manages to move through all the seasons, from New Year's Eve to Easter- all to suggest that its best to "come on home", wherever or whatever form home might take on. For Prine, home marks a return to a relationship instead of starin' at the ceiling or gettin' your heart burned at random. For everyone else, home could represent going back to the faith of your raising. It could mean surrounding yourself with people you feel supported and uplifted by. It could mean pursuing the career you always knew you should but never have. It could mean a house, or perhaps a hometown. Whatever or wherever home is, Prine suggests it's time to go there, the place wh...

Recently, I had the pleasure of listening to an entire John Prine album all the way through (for the first time). You'll be glad to know I came out the other end with a generous feeling- no doubt brought on by the sly humor and gentle tenderness of the songs featured on Fair and Square . There's something incredibly life-affirming about Prine's songs. Whether he is doing so purposely or not, Prine seems to propose that the answer to life challenges is to 1) acknowledge they exist, and 2) laugh about them.  So these songs . . .what've we got?  Prine favors simple, folk and country based arrangements. His vocal delivery is the exact opposite of Bob Dylan's: there's no intensity, but there's also no quiet resignation, either. It's midwestern matter-of-fact that'll blow your mind.  Here are my favorite songs: " The Glory of True Love ": You can have your lunch in London, and your dinner in St. Paul, but no momentary, material...