Michael Been

Item: On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakthrough
Author: Brian Quincy Newcomb

On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakthrough

(1994)

Reviewed by Brian Quincy Newcomb

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Label Qwest / Reprise RecordsSyndicateAug 1994

alternative rock post-punk

Michael Been spent most of the 80s trying to get his band The Call across to a larger audience. Armed with quotes from an array of famous fans—Peter Gabriel, Bono, Martin Scorcese (Been played the Apostle John in The Last Temptation Of Christ) and Garth Hudson of The Band, who played on The Call's earliest albums—publicists touted each new release, critics often responded positively, industry insiders would speculate that this, finally, was their year, and major tours always looked promising. But the singles never became hits, the airplay seldom converted to impressive sales, and the band often got dropped, recording seven albums for three different labels in a 12-year period.

Unwilling to continue under that cloud, but still backed by Call guitarist Tom Ferrier and drummer Scott Musick, Been has stripped away the baggage to let the simple strength and accessibility of his songs shine through on this, his solo debut. Invariably up-tempo, driven by Been's own bold bass lines and strong melodic hooks, Been rocks solid, staying within close reach of his chosen formula. The diversity and subtlety of The Call's Into The Woods—an artistic response to the previous album's bombastic, if most successful, singles ("Everywhere I Go" and "I Still Believe") have been played down to emphasize the tenacity and clarity of purpose that mark Nervous Breakthrough. The person who buys this record for the first single, "Us," will inevitably enjoy the rest of Been's solo effort. Although he stretches out over the course of the disc's thirteen tracks—including the cover of the 60s nugget "For Your Love"—Been allows "This Way," "Luminous" and "Now I Know High" to push commercial limits at an average of six minutes plus. While a more direct, and immediately accessible approach dominates, Been never sinks to a lowest common commercial denominator.

Been still writes of human concerns—political, social and spiritual—but frames his lyrics in a broadly relational setting. "Us" decries the dehumanizing forces of our age, while lifting up that which lasts and sustains: "I care about love/ and I care about truth/ and I care about trust," in the context of a caring love relationship. Nervous Breakthrough continues the legacy in Been's writing of addressing the broader, deeper issues of life, love and faith, without using language that excludes the casual observer. Rich, but not sickeningly sweet; substantive, yet not explicit; spiritually aware and emotionally sensitive, yet not religious nor soft. Michael Been remains an enigma for Christian music fans, one well worth the effort of diving into.