Author: Nicolas Bunzmann
Photographer: N/A
Review Date: 2008-10-20


Our Review:

Whenever anyone hears the name Joan Osborne, they can generally only recall her hit single from the mid-90s, One Of Us, and possibly the album that spawned that single, Relish. It's unfortunate for Osborne that her greatest fame was achieved from a song that is quite different from her main body of work. She just released Little Wild One and began her tour to showcase her new album; along with her other (and surprisingly many) works. This is the latest album to be finished in a line of five that have been produced since 2005, including a greatest hits album, One Of Us.

She opened her concert here in Atlanta, GA at the midsize venue Variety Playhouse with the energetic Rodeo off of her new album. It's a song that attempts to capture that mixture of nostalgia, excitement and wariness of returning to the place where you grew up. With its twangy guitar and lyrics about a childhood love, it helps give us a better impression of Osborne's music that seems far more fitting for her instead of the alternative 'womyn' rock of the mid-90s that One Of Us embodied. Plus, it was a great way to get the crowd on their feet and enthusiastic about the performance.

Joan certainly had her blues hat on the whole time, mixing in new songs from Little Wild One while performing slower and richer versions of songs from her generally alternative Relish, such as Ladder and St. Theresa. Sweeter Than The Rest is a mid-tempo song backed by a cool double beat and covering vocals from her lead guitarist with a fairly repetitive chorus ("Some were sweet, but you were sweeter") but a rather catchy and reflective musical tone that made you want to sing along. The performance of Hallelujah In The City ran along in a similar vein although its spiritual lyrics offered an upbeat nod to One Of Us. She hit a midpoint in the concert when she sang Cathedrals (with help from her opener, Matt Morris, who gave a rather tepid and bland performance by himself, but showcased a talented voice on this song). With a type of call-and-return, Cathedrals emphasized both of the singers' vocals while tempering her enthusiasm and darkening the mood in a sadly beautiful way. She built back up her energy slightly until the encore, which she ended on a surprisingly slow but soulful note in her rendition of Midnight Train To Georgia.

While Relish seemed to be a product of the period it was made in, Little Wild One seems to be an album made for Joan. The slower-paced, bluesy tone fits her image as a singer who has grown more mature and gotten in touch with what she enjoys as a performer. Yet, she can still rock with passion and exuberance, although instead of angrily postulating about life, spirituality and God; she's accepting and celebrating what of she's learned, even if maybe there were no answers to her questions.


Tour Info:

Tour Info


Rating: B