Jackie Leven – Elegy For Johnny Cash – Cooking Vinyl Cookcd331: Leven in topvorm (in: korte recensies…, winter 2005)

The short review in the “korte recensies” (short reviews) round-up for winter 2005 is headed “Leven in topvorm” (Leven in top form). It recalls that Leven fronted Doll by Doll about 25 years ago, but found his groove only some ten years ago after a black period in his life, and since then has put out a small masterpiece almost every year.

Elegy for Johnny Cash wrong-foots the listener several times: it has not turned out Cash-like, even though the title song was written out of admiration for the bare Rubin recordings Cash made at the end of his life, and guest Robert Fisher (of Willard Grant Conspiracy) sings one song entirely in Cash style. And although the album was recorded in Beirut with musicians from Greece, Lebanon, the USA, Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England, it has not become world music, but simply an old-fashioned good Jackie Leven album. That means passionate vocals, special arrangements and gripping songs. A record that grabs you by the scruff of the neck at once and lets go only a good hour later. The rating is four stars, and the last word is “Wereldklasse” (world class).