New Joseph Arthur - "Rages Of Babylon" (Stereogum Premiere)
While Ryan is busy writing (and then deleting) one-offs to his ex, JA's upping his output to pick up this year's most prolific songwriter mantle. This is the year of five Joseph Arthur releases (four EPs and an album), and it begins here, with a harmonica and an acoustic and in the body of a scared, desert-set soldier: protecting the "land of the free," hoping his family remembers him years after his blood is spilled in the sand, after his bones are shipped back across the sea. My man's prose has moved on from stream-of-consciousness erotica in a major way.
[Photo: Joseph Arthur]
Joseph Arthur - "Rages Of Babylon" (MP3)
The soldier's lament comes from the Could We Survive EP, out 3/18 on Lonely Astronaut. After that comes Crazy Rain And Boredom EP on 4/15, and the All You Need Is Nothing full-length on 8/5. Somewhere in there Joseph plans to release two more EPs, make one trip to SXSW, and take at least three naps.
Posted at 3:19 PM in MP3
Tags: Joseph Arthur
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his last full length was pretty bad, and this coming from a longtime hardcore fan of his.
it's good to hear Joseph go back to his roots (and actually even more stripped down than a majority of his catalog). hoping the rest of the EP (and subsequent others) are like this.
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Joseph makes me proud to be from the USA and Ohio. Joe, Don't stop tapping in and reaching out.
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richard ashcroft lookalike contest?
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great song - this is the sort of music I love JA putting out. Hopefully we can all put Let's Just Be behind us and move on. Now never speak of it again.
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I rather like Let's Just Be. It has some crazy songs in there but sometimes I am in the mood for that.
This new tune is nice, I look forewrd to these EPs.
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beautiful
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I agree, Let's Just Be was a good album and I think we would do well to remember that it was a "Joseph Arthur and the Lonely Astronauts" album. He was wanting to experiment and do something different.
This new song though is incredible, I can't wait for these eps to hit.
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GREAT SONG !!
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I completely love 'Lets Just Be'.
I hope he sticks with the Astronauts ongoing.
If you're a true fan of Joseph you can respect that album IMO.
I wanna see 'Lets Just Be' x's 10 in the future.
Lonely Astronaut has got to be the greatest song I've ever heard!
I can't wait for the new EP. Gonna go see them in Austin fo sho!
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this is so lovely. merci joseph. you're my watermark.
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'Let's Just Be' is a favorite, especially 'Lonely Astronaut.' Glad he's so adventurous to shake it up!
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While on this subject: Rages of Babylon--heartfelt. Honorable to all those...
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agreed on the richard ashcroft comment. love JA and ashcroft both...great song writers
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He looks nothing like Ashcroft in person, it's just the style of some of the photo's.
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This new song is excellent. I can't wait for the EP and CD releases this year. And I also loved "Lets Just Be" and his great Lonely Astronauts band. Their concert in Dallas at HOB last year was great. Joseph is simply one of the best songwriters around, and has put out great material for years. 2008 is going to be a great year for music.
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I love it. I haven't heard a song by Joseph Arthur that I didn't like.
He's just a great writer and performer. He's given it his all everytime I see him.
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The Ryan Adams comparison is almost accurate. At least with Ryan Adams you know what's coming at you in the form of 'Fit throwing'.
Seems Joseph Arthur does his behind the scene out of the public eye. From him screaming at fellow band members and screaming obscenities at some of the female staff that help keep things running. One female staff member reported Mr. Arthur calling her a "Fucking Bitch" for making a mistake. Really nice Mr. Arthur.
Seems Mr. Arthur has a bit of an ego and likes to surround himself with people who can help him reach for heights that his own talent can't seem to get him. And is only surrounding himself with the pretty people that only his New York persona can provide. In other words he is an Andy Warhol wanna be.
It really is ashamed that what he writes about and the way this man acts behind the scenes are two totally different things. It will become very difficult for Mr. Arthur to act so humble and try to hide his ego that is growing larger by the day.
Joseph Arthur you are a fraud and a sham. Just because you can put words together in a decent form and draw a little doesn't make you what you think you are...a true artist.
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My husband is in Iraq right now. I heard Rages of Babylon and it 'Rages' me alright. What does Joseph Arthur know about the plight of an American solider. What does Joseph Arthur know beyond shoving cocaine up his nose and then whining about how bad he has it and about God and his own pathetic self. What has Joseph Arthur given of himself for his country. He writes about being a peaceful soul and wanting peace and understanding the politics of this country. Joseph Arthur is nothing but a preening artist that worries more about how he looks to the public and in the public eye more than he really does about any solider. In this song he egotistically puts himself into the mind of a war ravaged solider. Is he going to take some of the proceeds of the sale of this farce and donate it to helping the mental state of these soliders he's so blatently making a dime off of. I think not.
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Exhale Gerardo...sounds like you're just a tad bitter over there.
Keep the songs coming Joseph...you're an inspiration.
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Give me a break. Just look at this guy. His look screams FAKE!! From the hipster pose to the hair!! To the way he holds his mouth!!
It has to be hard to never have the courage to relax from that fixed image and "Just Be" yourself.
Richard Ashcroft comparisons? no way.
Mindless inspiration.
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This guy is fine.
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This song screams "Sell-out"
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I think it's pretty obvious that Gerardo and Patrice (and possibly Donald) are all the one twisted little person. Come on, tell us how JA got you so riled up? Didn't want to speak to you after a show or something like that? Dumped you in high school? Cause seriously, no one commented on this post for 12 days and then two angry, hate-filled posts come along within almost an hour of each other? School-boy error there.
Anytime I've seen JA, in-person or otherwise, he seems like a decent guy. I'm sure he's had the odd outburst, but most people do. Who cares? His music is incredible, and this new EP is incredible. Maybe you should get over whatever it is that caused you to post all this shit and go fuck yourself.
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Stephen - well said
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