Comments for Johnston, Freedy, Can You Fly

The musical style is hard to classify; "alternative" doesn't really fully describe it, and I hate to try to pigeonhole an artist who really can't be pigeonholed. But just "alterntive" by itself doesn't really tell you much. Freedy has been classified as folk, even as country, but while those two are definitely influences, he's really neither. Freedy is in the roots-rock vein, I guess you could say. His music is quite unique; it's sort of an almalgamation of rock/folk/country. Vocally, he has been compared to Neil Young, and I suppose there is a bit of that there, but his voice is really quite unique. It may take some getting used to, but there's no doubt about it: Freedy *can* sing. His voice can be sort of twangy, and he deliberately exaggerates this a bit to create a sound distinctively his own, but he can also make his voice quite lovely when he wants to. Don't be put off by his singing style the first time you listen to him; his vocal style really grows on you.

I became a fan with This Perfect World. I bought this CD on 2/23/95, and after one listen it may be better. Not sure yet. Despite its "quasi-alternative" label, this music has more of a folk-rock feel to it. Merely, a great singer-songwriter who performs with intensity.

This singer/songwriter from Kansas is a master lyricist. Johnston writes intelligent, literate songs which are absolutely unforgettable. He has a wonderfully idiosyncratic voice, and he knows how to use it. Each of these songs is a gem: the partly autobiographical "Trying To Tell You I Don`t Know"; the quirky "Mortician`s Daugheter"; the beautiful "Can You Fly"; the sparse but poignant "We Will Shine" -- all are winners. This is a superb album.