Joe Henry's 'Blood From Stars' Proves Breakthrough Album
Joe Henry's new album Blood From Stars is a defining achievement in a career brimming with subtle yet momentous accomplishments. Eleven records in, Henry has quietly become one of the great forces in American music. Alongside a canon of acclaimed works as a singer and songwriter, Henry has also established himself as one of the preeminent producers working today, having collaborated with luminaries including Ramblin' Jack Elliot, Allen Toussaint, Solomon Burke, Bettye LaVette and with future projects slated with legend Harry Belafonte. On his newest record, "Blood From Stars," Henry has created a stirring collection of soulful and evocative songs, combining the everyman redemption tales of the blues with the lush musical landscapes of jazz and pop standards, crafting it all into something both personal and original. Deservedly, this breakthrough album has received rave reviews from both press and fans alike.
Acclaim for Joe Henry's Blood from Stars:
"A masterpiece... a tour de force of songwriting and production." - American Songwriter
"Ultimately, Blood from Stars is the most sophisticated, redemptive, and romantic album Henry's cut; the love songs are simply raggedly breathtaking." - All Music Guide
"Henry shines as both artist and producer, deftly blurring the lines between aural architect and impassioned orator... the new album is a testament to Henry's singular sonic vision and a masterful mix of history and mystery by an industry veteran who sounds like he's just getting started." - Billboard
"It's the truest album I've heard this year, and the best." - Paste Magazine
"On Blood From Stars, his 11th album, Henry explores new combinations of sounds and genres in an on-going effort to avoid predictability. Guitarist Marc Ribot flirts with a cornet, while Henry's sax-playing teenage son Levon makes an impressive debut. They play ballads, waltzes, and slow dances that give Henry's vignettes time to unwind, like weary travelers unpacking their burdens over cigarettes and gin. A- Entertainment Weekly
"A gorgeous record." - The Nation
"Blood from Stars offers comfort in that it's not only perhaps the best Joe Henry record yet, but also one that takes us to yet another place we didn't expect to go... it's that self-reflection, in addition to Henry's already well-established storytelling abilities, that lifts Blood from Stars to a new place, showing us that just because Henry's found his sound, he's not going to stop looking for surprises." - Popmatters
"His new disc, Blood From Stars (Anti-), is among his best. Ambitious but accessible, and by turns rollicking and ruminative, it's as brilliant in its own way as such 1970s albums as Bob Dylan's "Blood on the Tracks" and Stevie Wonder's "Innervisions." - St. Louis Post Dispatch