ALBUM REVIEW: C.W. Franz – Solo

“Solo” is the surprise compilation album from Chicago singer/songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist C.W. Franz. Hard on the heels of his September-recorded and released live album “The Path Home: Live at Evelyn Chapel (09/17/2022)”, this record consists of a series of loose, folk-based demos which technically aren’t b-sides but could be viewed as lyrical and instrumental concepts explored and expanded on further in his discography.

As its simple title and cover art suggest, “Solo” is essentially “The C.W. Franz Hour” – or should I say, “Half Hour” (roughly) due to its runtime. Unlike “The Path Home”, where C.W. performed some of his personal favorite songs in front of an audience, this project finds C.W. all alone, Texaco Oil Can-o-Caster in hand (a first-time instrumental moment in his discography), clearing his head through song.

As expected with demo compilations, the recordings are muddy in some spots and the songwriting could use a bit more punching up for truer emotional impact. But the most intriguing thing about this record – which I imagine will be frustrating for some first-time listeners – is the use of the Can-o-Caster itself. Since it’s the sole (Get it?) instrument used on “Solo”, the minor, low-key instrumental differentiations between songs can make the tracks themselves sound like they’re bleeding into each other. However, taking “The Path Home” and his recent “Sessions” albums into consideration, if you were to structurally look at this project as both a jam session and live show, where C.W. is both the performer and audience member, artist and supporter, then the overall execution of “Solo” should make a lot more sense to you. The end result is easily one of his most personal records to date, and dare I say, his most folk-centric entry in his discography thus far.

The album opens with a cover of the late, great British musician Syd Barrett’s “Dark Globe” from his post-Pink Floyd studio album “The Madcap Laughs”. With this being the first time that I’ve heard this song at all, the interesting thing about the original version is the intentionally erratic guitar work which, when paired with Syd’s vocals, creates the sense of releasing one’s innermost thoughts and emotions. And it’s even more interesting that C.W. would choose this song to open his album because in its own distinct way, “Solo” feels like the articulation of his own thoughts and emotions into fully-realized songs. Performance-wise, C.W. gives “Dark Globe” his own spin and flavor (No, you’re not getting a British accent in this cover), with some dramatic musical flourishes via his Can-o-Caster.

Up next, we have “A Hope” which officially kicks off C.W.’s own lyrical compositions. A bittersweet, softly-sung look at long distance relationships (a familiar theme in his music and a recurring theme on this record), this track finds C.W. framing himself as this individual destined to remain lonely and emotionally incomplete, while his peers and, to a greater extent, exes successfully move forward in their lives. The last verse is both heartbreaking and cathartic as he simultaneously sends well wishes to his colleagues and fully accepts his fate. Both moments are highlighted beautifully on the outro, with the chords gradually rising towards a crescendo, only for them to taper off into the defeated, disenchanted, final moments of the song.

The theme of long distance continues on the following track “Note to River”, where C.W. recalls a past relationship which started off strong but ended on a sour note. Even his ex’s eventual move to Evanston, Illinois, near his old house wasn’t enough to mend their fractured relationship. And yet, similar to “A Hope”, he wishes her well in life and love, and even suggests the possibility of catching up with her in the future to “reminiscence over memories that have died”.

We then get the album’s centerpiece: a roughly eleven and a half-minute, four-song medley entitled “Red Dress / Bad Bill of Goods / Better Than / Red Dress Revisited”. Lyrically, these songs are the most ambiguous on the record, but they do play out like stories in an anthology film with a specific theme keeping them connected. The theme I GATHERED from the many listens I gave this track is socio-economic change. “Red Dress” shows how even a piece of clothing meant to emphasize confidence, sex appeal and wealth can ultimately lose its value (“Caught in the ice storm / Summer leaves it to dry”). But “Red Dress Revisited” adds an extra layer to that seemingly straightforward concept by presenting a character named Katie who’s “helping the next generation”. “Bad Bill of Goods” is a cynical look at the difficulties in getting and maintaining a job, even with a “magic diploma” which took “five years” of education to acquire. “Better Than”, by comparison, is even more cynical, with its critique of the socio-economic system itself that provides little to no hope to the impoverished and unemployed, regardless of who’s in office. And this is where the message of “Red Dress Revisited” takes shape. Katie is someone who clearly went through her own personal, financial hell (hinted at in “Red Dress”) and somehow found a way to rise above it and make some sort of positive change to the world around her (“I hope you all are smiling”).

The last three tracks on “Solo” are the most bright and optimistic. “Godspeed Home” is a brief, heartfelt chorus of well-wishing towards C.W’s loved ones which, despite one instance of a slightly rushed line, feels earned and appropriate in the album’s progression up to this point. On the self-explanatory “When I Look at my Woman”, the themes of which were explored on the recently-released “C.W. Franz VII”, C.W. expresses gratitude for the relationship he’s currently in, though he still feels his life is damaged beyond repair. And then we get the final track “A Second Hope”, which not only serves as a follow-up to the aforementioned “A Hope”, but is also a surprisingly META way to conclude the album. Here, C.W. makes a conscious decision to make this current relationship work “with no fingers or skills”. Again, this is an ambiguous lyric, but I interpreted it as C.W. acknowledging the end of his regret-fueled jam session, putting his Can-o-Caster down and moving forward. The final line, “I hope my love thinks this is beautiful” is also the final bit of hope C.W. delivers on “Solo”, and one in which hope, the one thing that eluded him throughout this album, can finally be granted to him.  

As a whole, I really appreciated and enjoyed “Solo”, despite its expected flaws and imperfections, and I’m especially glad C.W. decided to share these deeply personal creative moments with the world. If you’re a fan of C.W’s work, you’ll appreciate the album’s raw, ‘rough draft’ approach to topics and themes that appeared in some shape or form on his previous records. For first-timers of C.W.’s music, however, I’d strongly recommend checking out some of his earlier work before diving into this one. On a surface level, it is admittedly a collection of mostly-incomplete song ideas that, most likely, were fleshed out into complete, released songs. But as a rare, emotional look into C.W.’s creative process, “Solo” delivers!

OVERALL RATING: 7 out of 10

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