Daniel Johnston

DISCOGRAPHY

Songs of Pain (1981) 6.5/10

Don't Be Scared (1982) 5/10

What of Whom (1982) 5/10

Hi How Are You (1983) 6.5/10

More Songs of Pain (1983) 5/10

Yip/Jump Music (1983) 6.5/10

Retired Boxer (1984) 5/10

Continued Story (1985) 5.5/10

Respect (1985) 5.5/10

Lost Recordings (1987) 5/10

w/ Jad Fair: It's Spooky (1988) 5.5/10

1990 (1990) 7.5/10

Artistic Vice (1991) 7/10

Fun (1994) 6.5/10

Rejected Unknown (1999) 6.5/10

w/ Jad Fair: Lucky Sperms / Somewhat Humorous (2001) 4.5/10

Fear Yourself (2003) 5/10

Lost and Found (2006) 5/10

Is and Always Was (2009)

Space Ducks (2012)

   1990 was the first "hi-fi" studio album for Johnston, produced by indie legend Mark Kramer of Bongwater. The album would be an exhibition of Johnston's work in three different spaces: lush studio sessions, live performances, and low-fidelity tape recordings; and thus would become the most definitive Daniel Johnston record. 

   The opening Devil Town is a short acapella piece that segues into Spirit World Rising, which includes accompaniment from Sonic Youth's Steve Shelley and Lee Ranaldo. The album peaks with Some Things Last a Long Time, a slow piano ballad contrasted with brief additions of laughing gremlins and a psychedelic guitar solo provided by Mark Kramer. 

   The live material Tears Stupid Tears, Funeral Home (based on Bruce Springsteen's Cadillac Ranch), Don't Play Cards with Satan, and Careless Soul would be just as impactful, and the album's closer, the congregational hymn Softly and Tenderly, is a hidden recording from Johnston's local church. There is no applause once the singing is done, and a gruff voice in the distance bureaucratically dispenses "announcements" before the tape is cut off. The hymn being about finding peace in death is a poignant finale after hearing so much of Daniel's suffering on the record beforehand. 

   Fun is perhaps Daniel's most accessible record, but not without his usual grating experimental antics in My Little Girl and Jelly Beans.

   The album was produced by Butthole Surfer Paul Leary, which makes sense considering the Creep in the Cellar-esque country violins in some songs (Lousy Weekend, Life in Vain). Leary also provides multiple instrument accompaniments throughout, while fellow Butthole Surfer King Coffey occasionally provides percussion — yet Psycho Nightmare is the only song where any noise-rock influence is apparent. 

   Fans of Artistic Vice should find a lot to like in Fun, although it is a tad weaker than its predecessor. 

   Quite predictably, the underground crowd would reject the idea of a "commercial" Daniel Johnston, and Fun would flop in sales. Thus Atlantic dropped Daniel from the label in 1996. 

   Johnston and Jad Fair would team up again for Lucky Sperms - Somewhat Humorous in 2001. The same naivete is present, but with a loss of innocence since it's mostly just a repeat of styles from the 1988 record, although Yes We Can resembles an outtake from Royal Trux. Most of the songs are overlong, and the Beatles and Rolling Stones covers (Michelle and Ruby Tuesday) are just terrible. The awkward chemistry between Fair and Dan still produced some strange arrangements, but the songwriting fails to leave any new impressions.  

   Daniel Johnston would die from a heart attack at age 58 on September 11th, 2019. 

TOP 10 SONGS

1. Some Things Last a Long Time

2. Honey I Sure Miss You

3. Walking the Cow

4. Tears Stupid Tears

5. The Story of an Artist

6. Museum of Love

7. My Yoke Is Heavy

8. Grievances

9. Sorry Entertainer

10. Laurie 

ROCKUMENTARIES

Jeff Feuerzeig: The Devil and Daniel Johnston (2005) 7.5/10