Peter Case

'Beeline'



Vanguard Records



Grade: B+



You may not know who Peter Case is, but you probably should. Formerly of the Plimsouls, an early '80s new-wave band, Case carries with him both the memory of working in a group, and a thankfulness for being on his own.

Case says that as a solo artist he is less held-back, and thinks his best work has been what he has made since 1984, the date of the group's dispersal. Since going solo, he has been nominated for a Grammy, had an album named the New York Times album of the year and produced a total of eight releases.

"Beeline," Case's newest release, is a collection of songs the singer-songwriter has written within the last year. Case's vocals and acoustic guitar dominates the music, as well as bringing in the occasional elements of harmonica, drum and computer generated notes. The 11-track album features substantially lengthy songs that are a refreshing departure from the three minute drive-bys offered by contemporary bands.

"If you got a light to shine / Shine your light on me," sings the 48-year-old Case. The lyrics might look clichd on paper, but when sung by Case, the lyrics take on a much more profound meaning. The singer/songwriter likes to sing in the kitchen of his minimally furnished apartment - he truly likes to make music.

His lyrics are introspective and relational, and easily surmised from their straightforward titles. Track eight, "It's Cold Inside," is about loneliness and self-doubt, while track three, "I Hear Your Voice," is about that person you can't stop thinking about. In the song, Case, by way of his lyrics, quietly visits the places and moments that continue to reemerge in life, weaving a narrative of the person he is addressing.

Case's style is hard to pin down, probably because his influences are so eclectic. On his web page, www.petercase.com, in response to the question "Are you a folksinger, a rocker, a punk or what?" Case explains his difficulty defining his work in terms of the record store categories. He says, "I tell people now I play folk-rock, and they seem to understand ... but the whole truth is more complex: I'm a singer/ songwriter that uses all the American styles to get my stories across." Case's answer about sums it up. From one track to the next, the listener recognizes several different styles.

The album is at its worst mildly uninteresting, and at its best, soothing. Certain repetitive lyrics, "I ain't leavin' your love / I ain't leavin' your love / I ain't . " especially suggest a lack of inventiveness which is apparently not true of Case throughout the rest of the album.

The best way for this music to be listened to is as a background music for hanging out, taking it easy or any activity that is relaxing or meditative. This does not undermine the album's value; rather, it fills the need we all have for a soundtrack to our lives.