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- Sunday Music: “She Makes My Monday’s Feel Like Friday’s / She Makes My Ruby Tuesday’s Taste Like Benihana’s” – Hobo Johnson Is Back (And It’s Really Good)
Sunday Music: “She Makes My Monday’s Feel Like Friday’s / She Makes My Ruby Tuesday’s Taste Like Benihana’s” – Hobo Johnson Is Back (And It’s Really Good)
This week seemed destined to highlight The Cars after Ric Ocasek’s passing or Brittany Howard’s first solo release. But, this new Hobo Johnson album appeared and just took over. I keep going back to it.
I think The Fall of Hobo Johnson could be one of the most interesting albums of the year. He’s growing as an artist (previously discussed here), and its worth really digging into the emotional range of the lyrics, the music, and, of course, those signature vocals. He mixes the profound with humor brilliantly. From comparing chain restaurants to the expectations of a relationship (in “Mover Awayer”):
She makes my Monday’s feel like Friday’s
She makes my Ruby Tuesday’s taste like Benihana’s
And all I’ve really wanted was
For us to get along, for us to get along
To the dangers of balancing what actually matters with our ambitions and desires (in “I Want a Dog”):
And I want my dog to be in films
And my son would also star in them
And I would just direct‚ and I’d produce
My wife would have a lot to do
Like talk to record label A&Rs
Because she would be a famous singer too, I forgot to mention that
My films would be great
You’d be amazed and also touched inside
Just like The Blindside starring Sandra Bullock
I came here for the dream, and
I will not leave without it
No Frank, you just want a dog
Hobo Johnson has a lot to say. Don’t just write him off as novelty based on the headline humor or the rap-talk-spoken-word-y verses. Hopefully the pop sensibility will keep his audience growing and get more people listening to what he’s actually communicating. The whole album is worth a listen.