AKA Graffiti Man - John Trudell > Reviews > Raw poetic emotion

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Groundbreaking
Lyrics	Sublime
Quality and consistency of tracks	Flawless
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Outstanding
Value for Money	Excellent

Advantages:	Thought provoking, emotive
Disadvantages:	Not exactly easy listening

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

John Trudell is a Santee Sioux born in Omaha Nebraska, and had a long involvement with the American Indian Movement, he was in fact Chairman until 1979, when his wife, mother in law and three small children, aged one, three and five, were burnt to death in a "suspicious incident" at their home on the reservation in Nevada. This was never investigated, but came soon after John apparently burning the US flag outside outside the FBI headquarters. John channeled his understandable anger and emotion through his music - which is probably not strictly music, more like poetry set to music. It is raw, beautiful and not always easy to hear, becuase you really can feel the emotion. If you want easy listening, this is not the album for you. But if you like to be touched by emotion, hear someone's life story through their words, then you will not be disappointed.

I bought this CD, the first John Trudell in my collection, because I had heard about him, and his background, and was fascinated to see what kind of music he would produce. I was not disappointed, in fact it blew me away.

His music is certainly unique. The use of the poetry with the background music is perfect, I don't know who made the choices for the combinations, but they did a brilliant job of it. You can feel his story in these songs, When Tina Smiles is incredibly poignant, as Tina was his wife who was burned to death. There is not a bad track on this album, which I think is his best - I have found that his later albums, for example Bone Days, have mellowed a little, no doubt becuase he has finally found some peace in his life, deservedly so. "Rockin the Res" is a great opener, but I think "Baby Boom Che" stands out for me, I couldn't believe it when I heard it as it starts with the riff from my favourite ever Elvis Presley track "I want you I need you I love you" and the song is indeed about Elvis, and the tragedy of what he became. John Trudell is obviously a politic animal and it shows in songs like "Bombs over Baghdad" and "Rich Man's War" but he is also a great social commentator, for example in "Restless Situations", "What he'd done".

Hard to rate alongside the competition as I don't know of anyone who does anything even remotely like this!

There is a movie about John Trudell's life being released during 2006, and although I have not seen it, I am sure it will be worth watching to learn more of this talented, complicated, committed and fascinating man.