T Bone Burnett, The Speaking Clock Revue

By Chelsea Spear

Writing a negative review of an album like The Speaking Clock Revue is an almost painful thing. The album comes with an impressive pedigree, drawn as it is from a concert organized by T Bone Burnett to benefit arts education. Most of the assembled artists—among them Elvis Costello, Neko Case, the Secret Sisters, and Jeff “Lebowski” Bridges—are almost above reproach. The production is clean and listenable, and the money raised from the sale of the CD goes to a good cause.

All of this is noble and worthy, to be sure. But the well-regarded clutch of artists and the laudable cause aren’t enough to make the whole experience anything greater than snooze-worthy.

While the musicians represented are recognized by the cognoscenti as some of the greatest of our era, I found the quality of their work inconsistent. The presence of the overhyped, overrated Jim James was enough to make me zone out until he put a lid on it, and the Punch Brothers’ countrified stomp “Rye Whiskey” overstayed its welcome at three minutes. On the flip side, I’d hoped that Karen Elson—whose album The Ghost Who Walks was a spellbinding debut—would cast a spooky spell, but her voice sounded thinner and limper than on her otherworldly LP. Even those artists who are dependably great sounded exactly as they do on record, with only the canned applause to prove that the music was taped before a live studio audience. After a while, the folksy, mid-tempo, mid-range balladry started to blend into one another.

To be fair, some performances stood out. The Secret Sisters’ close harmonies and minimal instrumentation made for an eerie, poignant listen. Jeff Bridges’ barn-burning performance of “Fallin’ and Flyin'” reminded those who had missed out on Crazy Heart that the Dude is also a righteous, underrated country singer.

If you’re looking for a decent sampler of new Americana, The Speaking Clock Revue makes for an A-OK starting point. If your parents are NPR geeks with a hankering for new music, this would go well with a Nina Totin’ Bag. Otherwise, donating your money directly to the Participant Foundation and bypassing the music altogether wouldn’t be such a horrible idea.

The Speaking Clock Revue was released on October 18 via Shout! Factory and is available to order on their website.