by Andrew Frisicano

Daniel Johnston @ BV-SXSW 2009 (more by Leia Jospe)

These days, it's almost taboo to say anything critical about [Daniel] Johnston. This is incredibly patronising. For one thing, it makes any honest evaluation of his work impossible. He might wring out much beauty from his cartoon-like songs, but he is also capable of lewdness (bizarre, crude references to masturbation and orgasms are frequent) and incredible self-pity.

Johnston's former manager once issued a press release, begging journalists not to use the word "genius" to describe him, least it detonate the singer's own troubled ego. "I wonder if people go see him hoping to witness a nervous breakdown," Johnston's friend Gretchen Phillips told music historian Irwin Chusid. "Do they perceive him as their equal, or as someone they need to coax along and feel safe? As much as the audience may genuinely love his songs, I sense a lot of condescension. That's always bugged me." ["The myth of Daniel Johnston's genius," Guardian UK]

For all the valid issue-raising of the above article, it's important to note that not all "patronising" reviews of Johnston are positive. It's just as easy to write an undersupported negative review, like the take on his August 12th Madison, WI, show from 77 Square (writen by someone with a clear distaste for Johnston and his songs)...

But to what length are we willing to go to patronize genius? Johnston's guitar-playing is sloppy and halting. He cannot sing, often slipping off-key or warbling weakly. Mostly he hammers away at the lyrics tunelessly, as if just trying to get through it.

It's in the lyrics where his talent glimmers, but they don't always redeem his music as a whole. His words are raw and juvenile, high school poetry that shines with sweaty truth but gets dragged down with naive sentimentality ("No one knows the sorrow of a broken heart").

That gig was one of a just finished string of August dates around the Midwest. The video from that tour's stop in Ann Arbor, MI (below) shows Johnston playing confidently, tunefully, and to massive applause.

Johnston has shows scheduled through the fall. He'll be at this year's Austin City Limits Festival on October 2nd (the same city Daniel has spent much time in and that hosted his SXSW set earlier this year). After that, he'll be coming up north for a trip that includes a show at NYC's Highline Ballroom on Wednesday, October 14th. Also on the bill are The Capitol Years, who've played with Johnston as his backing band before, as in the video below. Tickets are on sale now.

Info on a new album is coming soon. In the meantime, IFC caught up with Daniel Johnston at SXSW in a segment titled "Daniel Johnston Goes Shopping." That video, other clips and all tour dates are below...

Continue reading "Daniel Johnston (genius?) - Tour Dates (Highline) & videos "