Back On the Road to You

In his strongest work, Freedy Johnston sounds like an enlightened amateur in the best possible ways -- as meticulous as the production was on albums like This Perfect World (1994), Never Home (1997), and Blue Days, Black Night (1999), there was just enough looseness in his foggy Midwestern voice and the crannies of his songwriting to suggest he was alive to the possibilities of his eccentric, heartfelt world view without being reined in. With this in mind, saying 2022s Back on the Road to You is one of the most professional albums of Johnstons career might seem like something short of a compliment. This is the work of a genuinely gifted songwriter with a singular outlook, full of dry wit and a gentle appreciation for the worlds loving oddballs, and producer Eric Corne has brought in some inspired sidemen who give the arrangements a tone that finds a balance between soulful passion and crisp workmanship. For most singer/songwriters, Cornes production would be just what the doctor ordered, but in this case, hes smoothed out just a few rough spots that would have given Johnstons music a welcome bit of texture. Songs about a guy in love with his robot ("Madelines Eye"), wondering about your girlfriends day job ("There Goes a Brooklyn Girl"), and a day in the life of a man whos more than a little accident prone ("Tryin to Move On") confirm that what made Johnstons lyrical voice so special is all here; however, the production doesnt quite mesh with the small-town sense of wonder that hes never quite shaken more than three decades after leaving Kansas for New York City. All of this is to say that Back on the Road to You isnt a great Freedy Johnston album. Is it a good Freedy Johnston album? Absolutely. His lyrical and melodic skills, his eye for details, and his vocals (which face off regular-guy observations with a big-city literacy) are as strong as ever. Johnston has the respect of his peers, and the guest vocal spots from Aimee Mann, Susanna Hoffs, and Susan Cowsill are fine and welcome examples of gifted artists honoring one another. Back on the Road to You isnt Freedy Johnston at his best, but its more than good enough to merit your attention; given how infrequently he releases fresh music, having a new LP from him is certainly worthy of celebration. ~ Mark Deming