The Sound of His Own Voice

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All Music Guide - Mark Deming
Now that he's used to living a double life as a musician and a novelist (publishing three books under his given name, Wesley Stace), John Wesley Harding has become more comfortable with leaving his most serious side on the printed page, and while his tenth studio album, The Sound of His Own Voice, shows he still has a point of view and no shyness about expressing it, from a musical standpoint, this is one of his most engaging pieces of pop songcraft since he burst onto the scene with Here Comes the Groom in 1989. Scott McCaughey (who played on Harding's 2009 effort, Who Was Changed and Who Was Dead) co-produced The Sound of His Own Voice with the singer and songwriter, and ...
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Editorial Reviews

All Music Guide - Mark Deming
Now that he's used to living a double life as a musician and a novelist (publishing three books under his given name, Wesley Stace), John Wesley Harding has become more comfortable with leaving his most serious side on the printed page, and while his tenth studio album, The Sound of His Own Voice, shows he still has a point of view and no shyness about expressing it, from a musical standpoint, this is one of his most engaging pieces of pop songcraft since he burst onto the scene with Here Comes the Groom in 1989. Scott McCaughey (who played on Harding's 2009 effort, Who Was Changed and Who Was Dead) co-produced The Sound of His Own Voice with the singer and songwriter, and he brought in an impressive variety of collaborators for these sessions, including Peter Buck, Rosanne Cash, and John Moen, Chris Funk, Jenny Conlee, and Nate Query of the Decemberists, and the results are beautifully crafted and entertainingly eclectic, encompassing the jaunty folk-rock of "Uncle Dad," the nervy rock & roll of "Calling Off the Experiment," the R&B underpinnings of "I Should Have Stopped," and the epic scale finale "The World in Song." Harding's literary efforts have helped hone his already impressive gifts as a lyricist, but while his storytelling is sharp and his wordplay more than clever, he's gained an appreciation for human vulnerabilities that give these songs a warmth even when he points a deserving finger, and his lyrics dovetail well with the expansive (but never overbearing) production and arrangements. There's an amusing irony in the fact that Harding has gotten better at making records now that he's doing it part time, but The Sound of His Own Voice is not only stronger in every respect than Who Was Changed…, it's one of the most consistently satisfying albums of his career, and sounds more like the proper follow-up to the excellent Here Comes the Groom than anything he's made since.
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Product Details

  • Release Date: 10/11/2011
  • Label: Yep Roc Records
  • UPC: 634457224926
  • Catalog Number: 2249
  • Sales rank: 105,073

Album Credits

Performance Credits
John Wesley Harding Primary Artist, Acoustic Guitar, Harmonica, Electric Guitar, Vocals, Background Vocals, Hand Clapping, Pump Organ, Soloist
Rosanne Cash Vocal Harmony
Scott McCaughey Synthesizer, Acoustic Guitar, Percussion, Autoharp, Electric Guitar, Maracas, Electric Piano, Tambourine, Background Vocals, Hand Clapping, Mellotron, cowbell, Tubular Bells, Wurlitzer, Crumar
Peter Buck Mandolin, 12-string Guitar, E-bow, Beat Box, Guitar (Leslie)
Rebecca Gates Hand Clapping
John Moen Acoustic Guitar, Drums, Background Vocals, Hand Clapping, Timpani, Vibes
Nate Query Bass, Cello, Upright Bass
Laura Veirs Vocals, Background Vocals
Chris Funk Banjo, Pedal Steel Guitar, Electric Guitar, Hand Clapping, E-bow, Soloist
John Roderick Background Vocals
Joanna Bolme Hand Clapping
Jenny Conlee-Drizos Piano, Accordion, Hammond Organ, Hand Clapping, farfisa organ, Pump Organ, fender rhodes
Tilda Stace Vocals
Technical Credits
John Wesley Harding Composer, Producer
Scott McCaughey Producer, Engineer
Emily Lazar Mastering
Ed Masley Composer
Adam Selzer Engineer
Joe LaPorta Mastering
Rob Seidenberg Composer
Matt Gill Engineer
Jason Quigley Inside Photo
Jamie Baldridge Cover Photo
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