Leo Kottke - My Father's Face (1988)

Guitar virtuoso Leo Kottke has never been a fan of his own singing, observing once that it resembles "geese farts on a foggy day." Be that as it may, his voice (both vocally and lyrically) is an essential element of his persona, one he's too-often neglected. This cogent 1989 collection balances the Minnesotan's trademark knuckle-busting 12-string exhibitions ("William Powell," "Theme from 'The Rick and Bob Show'") with memorable lyric-based songs. The latter are what make My Father's Face such an appealing album. Kottke bares his grim northern soul on "Everybody Lies" ("I don't remember what it was like to go back home/I only know it was cold and white and I was alone"), while "Why Can't You Fix My Car?" and "Jack Gets Up" are sardonic statements on the quietly desperate lifestyle. Producer T Bone Burnett's select sidemen (David Hidalgo, Michael Blair, Edgar Meyer), meanwhile, are unfailingly restrained and tasteful. In the end, you're left with a fuller sense of Kottke. He's smart, funny, a bit gloomy ... and, yeah, he plays a mean guitar, too. ~ Steven Stolder