Blog: Stereogum

It seems Daniel Johnston's going for a hi-fi sound on the forthcoming Is and Always Was , the legendary (and at one-time solitary) songwriter/artist's first proper collection in six years. Shifting things up, Johnston worked closely with Beck/Brendan Benson/Eric Matthews/Paul McCartney/etcx collaborator and former Jellyfish member Jason Falkner on the 11 tracks. Falkner also produced. You can get a taste of the fuller sound on "Freedom." There are backups, slide guitar, well-oiled drums and the like, but his voice/lyrics remain the focal point. Anyway, fans of those early, affecting bedroom recordings shouldn't fret: The ostensible album art is bare [...]

• Daniel Johnston - Freedom