Richard Shindell

Not Far Now

2009-05-11

Shindell’s seventh studio release should please his fans, although I don’t think it’s his strongest release. None of the songs here have quite the lyrical power as “The Ballad of Mary Magdalene” or “Are You Happy Now?” although that’s not to say there’s nothing worthwhile here. “Parasol Ants” is an upbeat track that compares God to “a local hood” whose breath “is the gale.” You can guess who the ants symbolize. Unfortunately, the other standout track (in my opinion), “State of the Union,” contains the S-word, so it’s a no-play. On the whole this is a decent release; I just was expecting a little more from an artist who, at his best, writes some really great songs NO PLAY TRACK 7