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 Caught in the Carousel - "There will be music despite everything"
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Jonny Burke
Distance & Fortune
Dreamcar Records
Jonny Burke's Distance & Fortune is one of those rare, sure-footed debuts that comes fully formed. Burke is no newcomer, having spent seven years fronting the beloved Dedringers, but this is his first full effort on his own. There's no separation anxiety here—this is an album brimming with confidence and chutzpah. "Broke Again" is a scruffy blast of rock and roll that suggests his record collection contains a few Replacements albums; the horny swagger of "Come Stand" sounds like Exile-era Stones and the folk-tinged "Into The Autumn" and "Lil Girl Of The World" are both particularly winning. "Cracka Jack" swings hard and low with all the bluster of Todd Snider at his most menacing; "Quinceneara" showcases Burke's penchant for telling a great story and the doleful "Long Steady Decline" is quietly devastating. The big surprise here is a cover of The Soft Boys' "Human Music." Burke interprets the idiosyncratic tune as a spacey roots number that weaves and rolls along with woozy brilliance.
—Alex Green
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