Another spoken word album, but Worthless Recluse is a little bit different. The tone is overall very different, both figuratively and audibly. The delivery is very serious and mostly monotone, and at times sounds like a genuine conversation or an audiobook, really, instead of the poetic, sing-songy delivery from the previous 2 albums. I’m also glad that there’s nothing like “I Need Your Life” or those half hour songs here; the songs don’t drag on at all and there’s barely any monotonous repetition (if any at all), which means they explore their topics much more concisely yet deeply. I also feel like the short stories were more snappy, realistic, and easier to follow than the ones on This Narrow Road.
The lyrics are overall very depressing and I feel like it goes without saying that they’re lonely. “Out of the Cave”, with its imagery of the city scenery and Jandek’s story of travelling which includes having “slept in a parked bus”, makes me think Jandek has experienced being homeless before.
“Interlude” introduces another character that the protagonist has a complicated relationship with, who doesn’t seem to want to notice him.
I love “Aimless Breeze” and its message of the fleeting nature of time, which can’t be organized in the way we do.
“I know the sun will come and go again
The moon and stars will shine
Why should I not notice?
I don’t know
Time seems so capsulized
Drifting in an aimless breeze
Like the fallen leaves
Like wood out on the lake”
“You Wake Up Deadmen” describes the other character “collecting” dead men in a trash barrel through sex and refuses to acknowledge the protagonist. It hurts to read about.
“Worthless Recluse” is the 17 minute centerpiece of the album and is about the protagonist trying to understand if there is happiness, if there is something worth it about going outside in the world and embracing money and material possessions. He even hates going to the supermarket to get food to eat, and having to eat feels like a “weakness”. He describes a dream that’s more interesting than life, and getting caught up with the cops whenever he goes outside. The theme of time reappears where he doesn’t want to keep up with the schedules of life: “I wanna be where no time is the wrong time”. Jandek spews self-hatred, but declares he’s not strong enough to kill himself or disappear. He’s stuck in a dream, and feels like he’s “supernatural”, despite a “human” part of him that wants money and possessions. The song ends with him describing how all he cares about is “taking the big step into God’s eye”. The song is simply a masterpiece full of profound wisdom.
Fans gave this album the most praise out of the spoken word albums, and I have to say my expectations were about met. I think the title track especially, and most of the others, are strikingly beautiful, albeit having little replay value. I know I said something in the last review about spoken word not being enjoyable to listen to, but this one is different because Jandek is no longer doing that weird, silly, stretched-out delivery that makes me uncomfortable (for the most part; he does it a little on the last tracks here), so I think his voice was significantly more calming to listen to here. I might listen to it again because the lyrics really require your whole attention and you have to read them as you listen.
8/10
Essential album?: Yes
Essential songs:
Worthless Recluse
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