Details
Track Listing
1. Common People - (with Joe Jackson)
2. It Hasn't Happened Yet
3. You'll Have Time
4. That's Me Trying - (with Aimee Mann)
5. What Have You Done
6. Together
7. Familiar Love
8. Ideal Woman
9. Has Been
10. I Can't Get Behind That - (with Henry Rollins)
11. Real
Album Notes
Personnel include: William Shatner (vocals); Brad Paisley (vocals, guitar); Joe Jackson (vocals, piano); Henry Rollins, Aimee Mann (vocals); Lemon Jelly (various instruments); John Mark Painter (guitar, trumpet, bass guitar, background vocals); Jon Auer (guitar, background vocals); Adrian Belew (guitar); Ben Folds (piano, organ, keyboards, synthesizer, bass guitar, drums, background vocals); Sebastian Steinberg (bass instrument); Matt Chamberlain (drums, percussion); Louisville Common People's Choir (background vocals).
Actor, author, pitchman, and recording artist, William Shatner has become a virtual pop icon, in no small part due to his portrayal of Captain James T. Kirk in the STAR TREK TV show and films. While his past recordings have been known for their camp value (including a bizarre version of Bob Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man"), HAS BEEN finds Shatner venturing into Serious Artistic Statement territory. Here Shatner recites his lyrics in a stentorian, animated tone and runs through a reflective take on Pulp's "Common People," aided by Joe Jackson and Ben Folds, who provides bright, elegant arrangements throughout the record. (In addition to Jackson and Folds, the album's guest list includes Aimee Man and Brad Paisley.)
HAS BEEN is vastly enjoyable because Shatner refuses to take his seriousness too seriously--the tirade "I Can't Get Behind That" (which features fellow actor, author, pitchman, and recording artist Henry Rollins) includes a playful dig at himself. Drawing inspiration from and making forays into rock, country music, electronica, Western movie soundtracks, and Beat poetry, Shatner proves there is no medium he cannot master, no genre he cannot subvert.
Industry Reviews
3 stars out of 5 - [I]t is definitely deserving of the cult status that it will inevitably earn.
3 stars out of 5 - [B]ig issues - death, love, a life's work - are chewed over with bittersweet humour and musical sophistication.
|
)
)
)
)
)
)
All rights reserved.
