Keith Avera (k1626@aol.com) from Atlanta, Georgia , August 6, 1998
Outstanding solo debut!
Fans of Mary Chapin Carpenter are already familiar (whether they realize it or not) with John Jennings's virtuoso guitar playing and production skills as her number-one musical partner. With his debut solo CD, "Buddy", John steps onto center stage to reveal himself to be a superb songwriter and singer as well. His lyrics range from the wry humor of "Everybody Loves Me" to the ominously seductive "Run Run Run" (inspired, he as said, by reading too many Anne Rice novels) to the poignant eloquence of "Willie Short", in which a man dying of AIDS (inspired by a magazine picture of a real-life Houston dishwasher) pleads, "Don't forget me/From time to time mention my name".

John and co-producer Bob Dawson have put together a spare, tasteful production, and John's instrumental talents shine as well, with him playing a good many of the instruments in addition to the guitar.

The blend of plaintive ballads, bouncy up-tempo songs, and hip, jazz-tinged numbers defies categorization. You can simply file this one under "great music".

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