Janovitz enjoys `pop' rock
Music/by Sarah Rodman
Friday, September 21, 2001
Bill Janovitz says he never wanted to be that guy. You know, the guy who writes
songs about how his life changed when he had kids. Then the Buffalo Tom frontman
had a kid.
``It's almost sadly predictable,'' says the affable Janovitz with a laugh. He
waited as long as he could, he says with another laugh. ``It took me about two
months.''
Fortunately, the song in question, ``Light in December,'' is a sweet but not
sappy lullabye-esque tune that is but one of many gentle gems on his second
solo album, ``Up Here.'' Janovitz supports that album with a free WXRV-sponsored
show today at noon at Faneuil Hall Marketplace.
``Up Here,'' which meets at the crossroads of rock, country, folk and soul,
is not a ``daddy'' record, however. Most of the rest of the intimate, acoustic
work examines ground familiar to fans of Janovitz's detailed, cinematic imagery.
An emotionally marooned woman searches for meaning as she leaves ``Minneapolis'';
a ghostly Tom Waits-esque backing vocal underscores the yearning of the protagonist
in ``Atlantic''; and there is both hope and resignation in the lingering smoke
and falling stars of ``Half a Heart.''
Both that song and the jaunty ``Goodnight, Wherever You Are,'' benefit greatly
from the presence of Fuzzy vocalist Chris Toppin. Her girlish yet weary vocals
rub up against Janovitz's gruffness in a pleasing way that is reminiscent in
spirit of the Emmylou Harris-Gram Parsons endeavors.
``I'm reluctant to make that comparison,'' says Janovitz, ``because it sounds
like I'm trumpeting myself or us. All I can say is that the world should know
about her. She just brings these songs to a different level.''
Along with his solo career, Janovitz is still juggling three bands - Buffalo
Tom, Crown Victoria and the Bathing Beauties - in various stages of activity.
Buffalo Tom is working on a B-sides record that will be released next year,
the other two groups have music in the works and Janovitz is even contemplating
a day job, perhaps as a writer.
He has begun contributing written work to the massive allmusic.com song project
and is enjoying it immensely. ``I just sit there and I listen to and write about
my favorite songs and do some research. It's fantastic.''
Also:
BostonHerald
Sarah Rodman:
Speaking of roaming buffalo: Buffalo Tom frontman Bill Janovitz releases his
second solo album, ``Up Here,'' Tuesday on Spin Art Records. Turning the volume
down a notch, Janovitz crafts a terrific album of spare, folk- and country-tinged
songs that evoke everyone from Bruce Springsteen to Neil Young to Gram Parsons.
Especially good is his gorgeous heartbreaking duet with Fuzzy's Chris Toppin
on ``Half a Heart.''