I’ve been caught in between all you wish for, and all you’ve seen
My little brother has been trying for about a dozen songs now to best me by sending me something marvelous that I’ve never heard. He’s far away living in Sydney with his Aussie girlfriend now, and I miss him terribly, so I was thrilled to let him win this latest incarnation of Stump The Sister.
Joseph Arthur‘s duet with R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe wended its way halfway around the world from Down Under to the Rocky Mountain State, and the more I’ve listened to it, the more it’s grown on me and put roots down into me. Joseph has been recommended to me before several times, and I’ve long said that Michael Stipe has my favorite male vocalist voice of anyone, so his addition to this already-beautiful song is welcomed.
In The Sun – Joseph Arthur & Michael Stipe
The moment around 2:30 where Stipe muses, “I don’t know anymore what it’s for, I’m not even sure if there is anyone / that’s in the sun…,” I can feel the paralyzing indecision.
Joseph’s voice is gravelly and raspy, but somehow soothed, as if with honey and whiskey. It reminds me alternately of Ray LaMontagne and the Stereophonics’ Kelly Jones on the wails. I love this song.
From the 2006 iTunes exclusive In The Sun EP; he released about a jillion EPs and albums in 2008.