Jim White
Drill A Hole In That Substrate And Tell Me What You See

Dig a hole in the soul and tell me what you see.

First the languid lament of a slide, then the heartbeat rhythm of the bass and drums, finally the light chimes of a xylophone and the clean sound of a guitar. Only thirty seconds have passed and I smile, because I have already fallen in love with this record by Jim White and its endless title: “Drill A Hole In That Substrate And Tell Me What You See” (Luakabop – 2004). “Static On The Radio” is the track that immediately struck my heart, but the emotion doesn't stop there, because after a while Jim White's warm, thin, and slightly raspy voice comes in, creating an atmosphere akin to that perceived immediately after waking up from a beautiful dream. A pleasure that increases when he starts duetting with Aimee Mann on the notes of the song's chorus. A pleasure that will not abandon me throughout the listening of the album.

This little experience confirms something I've always thought about music, that it is a way to know oneself. Music, as a universal language, speaks to the heart, it allows you to dig a hole in the soul and see what's inside. Sometimes it can be painful, but not in this case, not for me at least. This precious and very refined album, in fact, despite some bitter and melancholic streaks, has the ability to give me serenity and good humor. I like listening to it in the car, its music clears my heart and makes me release the foot from the accelerator to make the journey longer and the listening can lull me a bit more, just a bit more, just one more bit.

And I don't think the theme of the journey is coincidental, because Jim White is a person who has spent much of his life among motels and highways, doing all kinds of jobs and experiences. He has been a model, surfer, heroin addict, Catholic fundamentalist, New York taxi driver, carpenter, photographer, and filmmaker. One, no one, and one hundred thousand indeed. And today? Today Jim White is a refined songwriter, one of the few artists capable in recent years of impressing me this way. Among these rare breeds, there is surely Joe Henry, who coincidentally produced the album together with Jim White. And the refinement, the elegance of the arrangements are the true strength of the record, which manages to naturally unite tradition and innovation, as its sounds, while rooted in American folk, feature different contaminations due to an intelligent use of electronics, effects, and horns. The presence of musicians like Bill Frisell, Ralph Carney, Mary Gauthier, and the already mentioned Aimee Mann represents the other highlight of this elegant, balanced, and fascinating work. For me, it is already one of the most beautiful albums of the year.