Is there another songwriter as prolific as Thomas Anderson? To be more specific, is there another songwriter whose quality-to-crap ratio leans so far to the left as Anderson? (It helps to self-release, of course.) Hello, I’m From the Future is the Oklahoma tunesmith’s fourteenth CD in his near-35 year career, without any particular drop in quality. As always, Anderson proves expert in taking strange scenarios, often drawn from art and history, and turning them into compelling tales. “The Iscariot Kids” wonders what became of Judas’ kids; “Doctor Naomi” relates the sad story of a hardworking physician who joins a cult; “Famous Monsters of High School” explores the way teenagehood continues to crap on the present day. Hello also contains Anderson’s usual (and always welcome) tributes to great creators of the past and how they relate to the present making of art, including Syd Barrett (“The Madness of King Syd”), the painter Titian (“Madonna of the Rabbit”), and songwriter Johnny Mercer (“Johnny Mercer’s Crossing”). Of course, all of these interpretations could be way off – Anderson’s dense wordplay could well be hiding messages only he groks. But that’s fine – searching for meaning in his tunes is what makes them so much fun to hear. If there’s anything to complain about, it’s that it might be time for Anderson to bring some other musicians in on the fun; otherwise, Hello, I’m From the Future keeps on keepin’ on in that way on which we all depend.
