PAUL THORN
Ain't Love Strange (Ark 21)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson

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When Paul Thorn sings "some days this deep cut just stops bleeding and there's only a scar" in the charming little ballad "I Have A Good Day," he could be talking about one of two different things. He was, after all, a professional middleweight who was knocked out in the 7th round by Roberto "Hands Of Stone" Duran on national television.

Apparently music is his real gift, because Ain't Love Strange definitely puts Thorn in the win column. The music is straight-ahead, honest, bluesy rock that makes use of dense sound when you want it and sparse instrumentation when you need it. It's a beautifully performed album with several songs that stick, including the hauntingly beautiful "What Do You Take Me For," the earthy and mesmerizing title track, and the gritty, bass-driven "A Lot Of Good Reasons." That last tune is all about the end of a relationship, but it's not the usual I-miss-your-kiss whine. When Thorn sings "I've got a lot of good reasons to come back around," he's talking about all the material items of his that she kept, including his beloved record collection. "You got my Bob Marley, Patsy Cline and Best Of Al Green." Betcha that's from the heart, because this is a guy who clearly understands music on all levels.

Thorn, with the help of his main cohort, Billy Maddox, has created something very cool here. It's one of those albums that surprises you often, gives you occasional chills down your spine and makes you want to tell the artist how good you think it is. He may not have been up to the task of taking on Duran that night, but maybe ol' Hands Of Stone was just giving him the gentle (cha, right!) nudge he needed toward his real calling. This one has been a pleasure to listen to again and again.

© 2000 - DJ Johnson