Garland Jeffreys: Truth Serum

Updated:

September 18, 2018 3:52 pm

American Songwriter participates in affiliate programs with various companies. Links originating on American Songwriter’s website that lead to purchases or reservations on affiliate sites generate revenue for American Songwriter . This means that American Songwriter may earn a commission if/when you click on or make purchases via affiliate links.

Garland Jeffreys
Truth Serum
(Luna Park/Relativity)
Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Videos by American Songwriter

He’s on a roll. The 70 year old Jeffreys’ new album comes just two years removed from his 2011 comeback, the terrific King of In Between that arrived a full 13 years after the one before that. Better still, he sounds alive and vital digging into a raw, pulsating Velvet Underground vamp on the thumping “Crash the Generation,” getting down and bluesy as anything out of Chicago on the opening title track, and tapping into his trademarked reggae groove on the Marley-styled “Dragons to Slay.”

In retrospect, the title Truth Serum perfectly summarizes the winding, stop-start career from one of New York City’s most incisive, earthy and well, truthful songwriters. While titles such as “Ship of Fools” and “It’s What I Am” hew too closely to cliché, the performances of these ballads are vibrant, fresh and invigorating. Credit that to a great backing band of NYC veterans and honest, personal lyrics that come from vividly drawn life experiences. “Testimonials in my heart/just might have to take another look” he sings on “Any Rain,” the first single and arguably as catchy a mid-tempo rocker as he has recorded since “Wild in the Streets” put him on the map in 1977. From the wet backstreet lope of “Colorblind Love” to the acoustic guitar based folk-rock of “Is this the Real World,” this music feels as pure and unvarnished as it clearly is.

At this late stage in his career, Jeffreys knows his rock star days are behind him. That helps further infuse these songs with a righteousness and passion often lacking in today’s music and makes this one of the best releases in his already solid catalog. Let’s hope he keeps this hot streak going.