Closer to the Bone

by Thom JurekOn Closer to the Bone, Kris Kristofferson avoids the production mishaps of 2006's This Old Road (the whole album sounded deliberately out of tune), though he works with the same team: producer Don Was (who also played bass), drummer Jim Keltner, Rami Jaffee on keyboards, and guitarist Stephen Bruton, who passed away shortly after finishing this album — it is dedicated to his memory. Closer to the Bone's 11 songs are simply jaw-dropping for the most part: some pay tribute to friends; others give props to loss, grief, pleasure, and pain; and they all offer gratitude for the experiences. The sound of the record is close, intimate, and immediate but less shambolic than This Old Road — but it doesn't sound falsely polished. It's an exceptionally intimate recording filled with songs that are always direct and sometimes uncomfortable. The melodies are as simple and classic as they've always been, but lyrically, the man is on a tear. On the opening title track, Kristofferson brings back an old Waylon Jennings-styled gospel shuffle, marked by Keltner's kick drum and brushed snare and illustrated by acoustic guitars, mandolin, and a harmonica. He sings about the experience of life while moving through one, and about how it's often the latter years that provide the richest experiences. And there's another voice that kicks in during the refrain: "Coming from the heartbeat/Nothing but the truth now/Everything is sweeter/Closer to the bone...." It's Bob Dylan in an uncredited performance. These two underscore in every line that, as one comes closer to whatever the eternal is, it's all encapsulated in today, and all experiences have their own beauty (and they do it without a hint of schmaltz or melancholy). ...