Confession: The first time I played this album, I couldn't wait to sell it back to the record store. It sounded like an almost perverse subversion of the things you expect from Bruce Hornsby's music: crystalline piano, achingly poignant lyrics, and a timeless mood of classic Americana that harkens back to The Band. My first thought upon hearing this album, with its overamped keyboards, drum machines, distorted vocals, and crowded, electronica-flavored arrangements was, "I'm glad Bruce got this album out of his system. I'm just sorry I had to buy it."

But then something funny happened. I woke up with the title track looping in my head, as it had all night. I realized that this album is not a loss of poise, control, or social relevance by Hornsby, but more like a searingly angry musical statement of "This is how things are. It might not sound pretty, but things aren't pretty." This is Bruce's post-Bush, post-9/11, post-HORNSBY album -- a jagged mirror held up to the era we're living in.

Back in the mid-'70s, Neil Young recorded a huge hit album called "Harvest," with gorgeous, folksy tunes on it like "Old Man." Everyone loved it. Then Neil released "Tonight's the Night," which was recorded in the spooky hours before dawn, and sounded like it, with its spiky tales of junkies dying in the streets, and hip drag queens, with the smoking wreckage of garage rock and roll replacing the banjos and nostalgia of "Harvest." Everyone hated it at the time. Listening back, it was prophecy.

Here, Hornsby surrenders the sepia-toned poetry about valiant fishermen and Appalachian waifs for lyrics that border on nonsense, as if the very fabric of language was being torn and shredded by a profound disquiet in the soul of America. The eerie cries at the beginning of "Sticks & Stones" are as apt a representation of What It Sounds Like to Be Alive at This Moment in History as I've ever heard. And the title track is so jazzy in its sense of swing that it doesn't even have to reference jazz on its surface.

You may not like this album, but it's a brave and true statement, and an admirable risk by an artist whose music is becoming more personal with each release. This is "The Way It Is" now, boyeee.

This is Hornsby's "Achtung Baby". This is the recording that separates a true musician from imitations. Hornsby has experimented with songwriting, sound and instrumentation on "Big Swing Face". Fans and critics will debate whether the music is good, and, in my opinion, that's a matter of taste. On first listen, I wasn't sure where Hornsby was going, but with repeated listenings I heard humor, inventiveness, and an attempt to try something new. Unlike Chicago, Hornsby isn't resting on his past successes here, and like Chicago, he isn't catering to what everyone wants to hear. As usual, Hornsby writes about the human condition like prejudice in "Sticks & Stones", fame in "Big Swing Face", depression in "This Too Shall Pass", objectivity in "Try Anything Once", insecurity in "Take Out The Trash", materialism in "The Good Life", ignorance in "No Home Training" and soul searching in "Place Under The Sun". So, in a songwriting sense, Hornsby continues to sing about what he's been singing about all along, yet he adds some interesting diversions like "Cartoons & Candy", "The Chill" and "So Out". As always, Hornsby adds a good dose of humor to his songwriting, so the criticism would fall on the music. Hornsby chooses to avoid his traditional instruments like acoustic piano, accordian, banjo, in favor of using some type of electric piano/organ hybrid, drum loops, and yes, even a sample! I have followed Hornsby since "The Way It Is" and time and again he has proven himself to be one of a few musicians who can really play, write and reinvent themselves. As that is such a rare commodity in pop music, Hornsby is a buried treasure--seldom making the top 40 and yet continuing to mature and produce creative music.

If you're convinced you want the Bruce of old, then don't even bother sampling this CD. On the other hand, if you recognize Hornsby as the virtuoso he is and are willing give him the opportunity to showcase said virtuosity, then don't miss this effort. It's a radical departure from his previous work, though as one reviewer noted, there are hints of this fusion style in parts of SPIRIT TRAIL.

And fusion is what you get: hip-hop, funk, rock, and jazz all laced with drums, hard guitars, synthesizers, even an organ! The vocals? Most are unlike any past Hornsby tunes you've ever loved. I heard traces of Prince, Living Colour, Grateful Dead, and even Monte Montgomery styled vocals throughout.

Granted, my first reaction was "what the hell?" But, you know, the tunes are simply infectious with their energy and improvisation. After two listenings, I was hooked; though many fans who bought this would disagree, this is one of Hornsby's best efforts ever. I can think of, perhaps, two tracks of which I'm not overly fond on this CD. On the other hand, efforts such as "Sticks & Stones," "Take Out the Trash," and "Cartoons & Candy" keep swirling around in my head. And if you really need an "old Bruce" fix, check out track #8 "The Good Life." It's catchy, optimistic, imminently singable by those of us with no talent, and the closest thing to a "typical" Hornsby tune you will find on this CD.

The bottom line is Hornsby has transcended his past stereotypes of a mellow lyricist and superb piano player. I hope he produces more albums which showcase those tremendous talents; likewise, one can only hope he continues to push the boundaries of music with more truly astounding and strange offerings such as this one. I'd buy them in a New York minute. My advice is to follow the lyrics on track #6: "What the hell/I'll try anything once/Got to keep an open mind this time."

Wow, this really is different from anything Hornsby's done in the past. And people thought Harbor Lights was a major turning point and radically different! But this is nothing anybody would expect from Bruce.

I was sad to hear that there was barely any piano on this cd, but i hope the black and white will make a comeback on his next record. Although this is definitely not a classic or one of his finest works some good things appear. "The Chill" and "This Too Shall Pass" are excellent. Steve Kimock is the best guitarist to play with Bruce since Pat Metheny. I also bet all these songs would sound more familiar live.

I hope in the future Bruce makes another album like Hot House. That is definitely the best studio album of his career, it blew me away! But knowing Bruce, he likes to always try something different and experiment. I can't blame him for that. I just hope it includes piano. That's what i miss the most.

Well, this was a surprise. The wondering started with Bruce's announcement in late 2001 - he was finishing up a new album, and this one would have "almost no piano."

Huh? That's like a Tarantino movie where nobody gets shot.

Bruce isn't taking up shred guitar anytime soon, so that means the new disc is chock-full of enough different keyboards, organs and MIDI effects to give Keith Emerson a headache. He's like a kid in a candy store. It's not an enormous shock considering that he did the same thing over half of Spirit Trail four years ago, but he takes the whole thing a step further here. "This Too Shall Pass" starts with an icy organ and suddenly turns techno with a crazy drum beat. "Try Anything Once" is practically hip-hop. "Sticks & Stones" sounds like Brian Eno hopped up on crack. There's a generous helping of happy dance beats scattered all over the place. "So Out" is one of his most rocking tunes ever, and I could almost imagine "The Good Life" or "Place Under the Sun" being picked up as radio singles. Incidentally, those last two are the most joyful, mood-lifting sunny tunes I've heard from anyone in a good long time.

Big Swing Face.. by the way, Bruce took the title from a 1963 Buddy Rich album which is also well worth checking out.. wonderful drumming.. oh, where was I? Big Swing Face. It's happy, bouncy, funky brain candy for the masses. The lyrics don't read quite as well as what we're used to from his other work; there's some stream-of-consciousness style and a fair amount of straight prose scattered through the rhymes. If you liked the second disc of Spirit Trail and wouldn't mind more in the same vein, welcome. If this description sounds disappointing and you want to hear more of the brilliant piano work Bruce is known for, you may be better off waiting for another release (He's thinking of doing a collection of solo piano performances next). You've been warned.