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ANOTHER WISDOM (Purple Girl) • Malcolm Holcombe
Malcolm is one of the most enigmatic, compelling, and gifted performers on the stage today. I have seen him many times, and often had thought this would be the last time. In the last few years he would take and then roam the stage like a man possessed--no, sometimes he seemed like the son of Beelzebub himself. But you couldn't take your eyes or ears off him, that's how blazing he was. He'd look like he was going to burst into flames any minute. He looked like he was going down, like he wouldn’t be around long.
I was so happy to see him recently at the Americana Conference, it was obvious that things had changed, that the dark forces had been brought under control. If that sounds melodramatic, then I guess you've never seen him play.
His songs just don't go together like other people's songs do, they're genuinely different. Bit of a genius, many say, and we take no exception to that. There are a lot of myths and rumors around the life and times of this fascinating and unusual character. But we're not a tabloid, and his songs tell all the story he wants anyone to know, that's my guess.
Another Wisdom is a very sober and balanced recording of songs I've become used to hearing in a much different and manic rendition, so it threw me for a minute. But, while spontaneous human combustion may make for an exciting show, it's probably not the kind of record you'd play again and again...but Another Wisdom is. Most or perhaps all of the songs are from sessions in the 90s, a very powerful and prolific period, and half the songs include the late Joe Compito on bass, we sure miss him, he was a truly wonderful human being.
It was really exciting to see Malcolm with Jelly Roll Johnson on harp at The Station Inn the other night. He was straight as a pin and red hot. I met his new wife Cynthia at the CD table, she seemed strong and fine. He is undoubtedly one of the great folk acts in the world today, and we highly recommend you purchase this and any other recording of his you can get your hands on. (We're also very big on A Hundred Lies, recorded originally for Geffen but never really released.) Check the man out on the Listen page, and buy Another Wisdom here. • FG
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