Sign up for our mailing list Real artists creating records on their own terms
Close

Sign up for our mailing list

Press

Thursday, December 3rd, 2009

Joe Henry's Blood From Stars Proves Breakthrough Album

For Immediate Release

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

For further information, please contact Hilary Villa at 213-413-7353 or hilary@epitaph.com.

Joe Henry's artist page

Browse by Artist

2326All Artists 65Mavis Staples 56Neko Case 56Dr. Dog 55The Milk Carton Kids 52Son Little 51Sean Rowe 50Tinariwen
44Glen Hansard 43Lost In The Trees 41Andy Shauf 37Saintseneca 33Galactic 33Michael Franti and Spe... 32Xenia Rubinos 31Jolie Holland 31Delicate Steve 30Calexico 29The Drums 28Doe Paoro 28William Elliott Whitmo... 27Man Man 27Yves Jarvis 26Tom Waits 26Girlpool 25Bettye LaVette 24Madi Diaz 23Jason Lytle 23Christopher Paul Stell... 23The Antlers 22Cass McCombs 22Sage Francis 22Booker T. Jones 22Gary V 21Islands 21Danny Elfman 20Jeremy Ivey 20Lido Pimienta 20Daniel Lanois 20DeVotchKa 19Combo Chimbita 19Purr 19M. Ward 19The Dream Syndicate 18Leyla McCalla 18Joe Henry 18Wilco 18Half Waif 18So Much Light 17Darrin Bradbury 17Tim Fite 17Christian Lee Hutson 17Jade Jackson 17Grinderman 16Moor Mother 16High Pulp 16Peter Silberman 16Porter Wagoner 15Yann Tiersen 15Alfa Mist 14Boy Scouts 14John K. Samson 14Japandroids 14Glitterer 13Busdriver 13The Coup 13Ben Harper 13Rain Machine 12Deafheaven 12Josiah Johnson 12Hey, King! 12Richard Reed Parry 12The Melodic 11Curtis Harding 11Keaton Henson 11Rafiq Bhatia 11Ryan Pollie 11Kelly Hogan 11Beth Orton 10Bob Mould 10Dead Man's Bones 10Roky Erickson 10Os Mutantes 10Wynonna 10Beat Connection 10Xavier Rudd 10Ben Harper and Charlie... 10Jasmyn 10Bonny Doon 10Fleet Foxes 9The Locust 9Ezra Furman 9Slow Pulp 9James Brandon Lewis 9Kate Bush 9The Tallest Man On Ear... 9Mose Allison 9Cameron Avery 9Marketa Irglova 8The Frames 8Kate Davis 8Greg Graffin 8Art Moore 8A Girl Called Eddy 8Kristine Leschper 8Deradoorian 7Scott McMicken and THE... 7Alec Ounsworth 7Solillaquists of Sound 7sunking 7Katy Kirby 7Foxwarren 7The Field 6Pops Staples 6Waxahatchee 6Broken Twin 6Kronos Quartet with Br... 6N.A.S.A. 6The Good Ones 6Pete Philly & Perquisi... 6Sparklehorse 6Ramblin Jack Elliott 5Tweedy 5Mothers 5MJ Lenderman 5Cadence Weapon 5The Weakerthans 5Marc Ribot 5The Swell Season 5Plains 5Jackson+Sellers 5Walter Wolfman Washing... 4Arc Iris 4Eddie Izzard 4Petra Haden 4Muggs 4case/lang/veirs 4One Day As A Lion 4Antibalas 3Simian Mobile Disco 3Mavis Staples & Levon... 3The Book Of Knots 3Sierra Leones Refugee... 3Danny Cohen 3Marianne Faithfull 2Jeff Tweedy 2Chuck E. Weiss 2Screaming Lights (Euro... 2Various Artists: RANGO 2Blackalicious 2Title Fight 2Lyrics Born 2Sam Akpro 2Savath & Savalas 2Billy Bragg 2Spoon (Europe only) 1Rogue's Gallery 1Nick Cave & The Bad Se... 1Various Artists: ROGUE... 1Solomon Burke
See Full List+