[rating=3.50]
“There are no two Daniel songs that sound alike,” said Yves Beauvais, who signed Daniel Johnston to Atlantic Records, in a 1994 interview. It’s true. Sure, raw honesty is a common thread in Johnston’s music, but his focus shifts seamlessly from hallucinatory philosophy (“The Adventures of God as a Young Boy”) to romantic revenge (“Blue Skies Will Haunt You Forever”) to (many times) depression (“Going Down”).
A true cult hero of independent music – Kurt Cobain famously championed Johnston, who suffers from bipolar disorder, as a favorite songwriter – the debate over this mental health casualty long has been this: mere patient or mad prophet? A good case can be made for both. I Killed the Monster suggests the latter, and backs up the claim with forceful, passionate performances. It’s a follow up to 2004’s The Late Great Daniel Johnston: Discovered Covered – a higher profile tribute that featured the likes of Beck and Tom Waits – but it captures Johnston’s essence more gracefully than its hat-tipping predecessor. Like Johnston himself, most contributing artists here are incredibly talented yet relatively unheralded voices that deserve a broader audience. Chalk one up for the underdog.
For more info see the official Daniel Johnston website, http://www.hihowareyou.com/
