 
Any worthy list of great songwriters includes John Prine. The troubadour’s
first CD of mostly new material in 10 years only stresses the point.
Prine is in fine form on “Fair & Square,” a 14-track
collection that overflows with his insightful storytelling and salt-of-the-earth
approach. “With a pack of Camel cigarettes/In the sleeve of my
tee shirt/I was heading out to Hollywood/Just to have my feelings hurt,”
he sings on “Crazy as a Loon.” That verse is classic Prine
– relaxed, literate and filled with his sly humor. Prine, who
is back from a battle with cancer, has always managed to write a mix
of humorous and dark songs. The new CD has both. The catchy “Crazy
as a Loon” is the most listener friendly, but Prine also gives
us “Some Humans Ain’t Human” that gets in a sharp
jab at Bush. There’s also the pretty “The Moon is Down,”
which features a guest appearance by Alison Krauss. It’s good
to hear Prine’s familiar rasp. - D. Kimura
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John
Prine