Authored by Dale Nickey:

Jandek – Dallas Thursday (CD)

Corwood Industries – 0824

Recorded Live at The Texas Theater, Dallas Texas – May 19, 2016

Jandek activity has picked up in the last few months; most recently, Jandek aka The Representative of Corwood Industries has released Dallas Thursday. A fairly recent performance from May 2016, which testifies to the robust health of Jandek’s muse.

I have not been reviewing and writing very much since the world changed a few months back, nor have I had any desire to. For me, music has lost its ability to foment revolution in a meaningful way. Without that ace card up its sleeve, its hard to justify its importance in the culture. Then you realize, it’s the only game in town. Despite the trivialization of music by celebrity culture, it still retains its healing powers even as its social relevance recedes into the background hum.

Which brings us to Jandek. Into this swirling vortex of confusion and existential trauma, The Representative of Corwood Industries has dropped a thing of unassailable honesty and beauty; a work that sustains my faith in the artistic spirit. This is Jandek’s ‘Jazz’ album. The Zen Master of cacophonic synchronicity has now given us a hidden place to lay back, gather ourselves and refresh the soul. http://corwoodindustries.com/

Ostensibly a live album, Dallas Thursday is so transporting in mood and tone, it renders audience response incongruous and spell shattering. Muted trumpet (or cornet?) is the featured instrument. It hovers and moans like a fifties”cool jazz” ghost over the starry night keyboards , dark chocolate bass and the spacy, beat musings of Sheila Smith.

As with any Jandek album, musician credits are non-existent – as are writing credits. One imagines the horn parts a product of Jandek ‘the facilitator’ rather than Jandek the composer. Certainly the Good Humor Man-on-Angel Dust keyboards carry the Jandek stamp. As far as the spoken word, it would seem that The Representative and Sheila Smith are of one mind now; it happens in musical collaborations that stray into the area of telepathy. Smith has dialed back the agression and displays a deadpan, dusky, beat poet delivery that is hypnotic and engaging, yet retains its edge.

Jandek is now a bigger thing than The Representative of Corwood Industries alone. Jandek is a collective, a brand, an archetype and a way of doing things. I’m just glad that Jandek – the man and artist – has retained his ability to surprise. Dylan always had the ability to throw down a personal masterpiece when his audience needed one. With Dallas Thursday, Jandek demonstrates that same ability.