Joseph Arthur

On each of his first three albums for Peter Gabriel’s Real World label, Joseph Arthur came closer to delivering on his considerable potential, melding worldly influences with strong songwriting touched as much by electronic decor as by acoustic guitar. Lately, though, Arthur has veered off in a more rock-oriented direction with his willfully sloppy backing band, The Lonely Astronauts. Incredibly prolific, Arthur followed his collaboration with Dhani Harrison and Ben Harper as Fistful Of Mercy with 2011’s The Graduation Ceremony, his first solo album since 2006’s Nuclear Daydream, and more recently he self-released a double album, Redemption City, for free online. He also wrote a song in support of the Occupy Wall Street protests. “We Stand As One” isn’t exactly “Give Peace A Chance,” with its hokey lyrics and clumsy phrasing, but it’s a nice sentiment all the same.

Updated 05/14/2012