In its pursuit of unearthing previously unheard music from the planet's four corners, Real World has never ignored Western rock and pop. No-one's disqualified. And in Akron, Ohio, the label (or, rather Peter Gabriel himself) found Joseph Arthur, a singer-songwriter with high-proof creative juices oozing out of every pore.

2000's 'Come To Where I'm From' was his second album for the label. Co-produced by the mighty T-Bone Burnett, it's a dense, attractively claustrophobic record, full of delightful contradictions: unnerving and reassuring, raw and yet meticulously compiled.

'I wanted to get the songs down in a way that was true to them and true to myself. I really wanted them to have humanity in them. I wanted an element of a gamble in it. I think too much music sounds too contained. I wanted it to sound like it could go out of control at any minute. I didn't want it produced to death.' Joseph Arthur

Not content to limit himself to guitar, harmonica and sampling wizardry, Joseph is also a writer, sculptor and painter. His drawings and paintings feature in this album's artwork, which Joseph co-designed and art directed with Zachary Larner. 1999's 'Vacany' EP had gained Joseph and Zachary a Grammy nomination for the Best Recording Package.
Reviews

...Joseph Arthur is clearly not your average singer-songwriter. His second album explores cavernous atmospherics, sawing cello arrangements, psychedelia and the odd squall of grunge. Beneath it all, though remains the clear sound of a man alone with a jumbo guitar, a notebook full of lyrics and a lot of pain. ..Arthur made his debut three years back; this record is far more accomplished, thanks in great part to the inventive settings conjured up by producer T-Bone Burnett, which switch easily from, for example, the swooning Byrds harmonies and full-on guitars of 'Chemical' to the sparse, dreamy sound of 'Invisible Hands'. His influences are plain enough - .......
more

In its pursuit of unearthing previously unheard music from the planet's four corners, Real World has never ignored Western rock and pop. No-one's disqualified. And in Akron, Ohio, the label (or, rather Peter Gabriel himself) found Joseph Arthur, a singer-songwriter with high-proof creative juices oozing out of every pore.

2000's 'Come To Where I'm From' was his second album for the label. Co-produced by the mighty T-Bone Burnett, it's a dense, attractively claustrophobic record, full of delightful contradictions: unnerving and reassuring, raw and yet meticulously compiled.

'I wanted to get the songs down in a way that was true to them and true to myself. I really wanted them to have humanity in them. I wanted an element of a gamble in it. I think too much music sounds too contained. I wanted it to sound like it could go out of control at any minute. I didn't want it produced to death.' Joseph Arthur

Not content to limit himself to guitar, harmonica and sampling wizardry, Joseph is also a writer, sculptor and painter. His drawings and paintings feature in this album's artwork, which Joseph co-designed and art directed with Zachary Larner. 1999's 'Vacany' EP had gained Joseph and Zachary a Grammy nomination for the Best Recording Package.
Reviews

...Joseph Arthur is clearly not your average singer-songwriter. His second album explores cavernous atmospherics, sawing cello arrangements, psychedelia and the odd squall of grunge. Beneath it all, though remains the clear sound of a man alone with a jumbo guitar, a notebook full of lyrics and a lot of pain. ..Arthur made his debut three years back; this record is far more accomplished, thanks in great part to the inventive settings conjured up by producer T-Bone Burnett, which switch easily from, for example, the swooning Byrds harmonies and full-on guitars of 'Chemical' to the sparse, dreamy sound of 'Invisible Hands'. His influences are plain enough - .......
more