Michael Nesmith - The Prison and The Garden
Michael Nesmith - The Prison (Edsel; EDSX 3002)
Michael Nesmith - The Garden (Edsel; EDSX 3003)
reviewed by Michael Macomber
With The Prison and The Garden, Michael Nesmith takes the book and record concept to an entirely new level. As an artist, Nesmith has always been a big thinker, dealing with grand ideas and philosophical questions. On these two works, originally released in 1974 and 1994, respectively, he allows his penchant for soul searching to roam unfettered. Here is Nesmith at his finest, blending music and narrative in a way that is entirely unique.
Opening the book to The Prison, one is immediately struck by the beauty of the writing. Nesmith’s style is exquisite in its simplicity. He tells his grand and moving tale as a story of man and woman, of people living from day to day. The sometimes visible, sometimes invisible walls of the prison fade in and out at his command, moving with the music. The bursts of lyrical poetry from the disc are the perfect companion to the words on the page.
Much the same could be said of The Garden. The major difference is that Nesmith chooses to use fewer lyrics, leaving the story to be told through the accompanying book. The soundtrack also stands on its own, calling up independent images, beside and beyond the narrative. Nesmith shapes his garden through sound and story, creating a positively breathtaking piece of art.
Taken together, The Prison and The Garden address the notion of freedom from every angle. Freedom of the body, freedom of the mind, and freedom of the spirit are all given equal time. Not many pop artists would dare to approach such ideas. Bravo to Nesmith, for assuming his audience has the intelligence to grasp and enjoy work of such depth.
