Life Is Short
My Street Is Mine Records
5 Stars

Based on Lucky Fonz III’s sound alone, one hears music steeped in the folk tradition with dashes of blues, zydeco and country. Occasionally Fonz’s sound is similar to that of the late, great Johnny Cash, a comparison most musicians would be thrilled to have made about them. What will come as a surprise to many listeners is that Fonz is not from the US where such musical traditions and family trees are common, but is instead from a land most people don’t immediately connect with such music: Amsterdam. Fonz’s second album is a lengthy collection of songs that span these genres with a distinct feel of Americana. Sometimes dark, occasionally melancholy, Life Is Short is a strong album that shows music at, paradoxically, it’s simplest and most complex.

Many of Fonz’s songs are vaguely reminiscent of other songs and just when you think you know what’s coming next (because you’re thinking of the other song), he switches things up and makes the song distinctly his own. “Draw Me A River” does just that, allowing the listener to think he’s doing a cover of a John Denver song based on the introduction, but as soon as the lyrics begin, it’s obvious that the listener was wrong all along. “Draw Me A River” has some of that same delicateness and lyricism that many Denver songs possessed but Fonz’s voice is a bit grittier which is not a complaint, simply a distinction.

“Once I Was A Lady” is another track that shows the strong influence other artists have had on Fonz. Although his voice doesn’t have that famously slurred drawl, this track will remind some listeners of certain Bob Dylan songs. However, should one think Fonz is just ripping off other artists, the bridge at the end of the song helps the song become his own. “Jane On The Roof” is one of the darkest sounding songs on Life Is Short. Unlike some of the other tracks that are more grounded in the folk tradition, “Jane On The Room” has a more distinctly blues feel to it. So, not only is it a good and dark song, it shows Fonz’s versatility and ability to write strong music in a variety of genres.

“All My Days” continues to demonstrate Fonz’s versatility. The jauntiness of the track is entertaining, catchy and helps alleviate the sense of sadness created by “Jane On The Roof.” It isn’t a long track, but does come at just the right point in the line-up. “Drops Of Water” continues that sort of bouncy, feel-good folk music sense that is present on many of the tracks. Like most of the tracks, the song is extremely simple, with just some soft guitar behind his voice and those of a few back-up singers. There is no need to make a simple song complicated just for the sake of doing it, and Fonz is good at avoiding that problem.

A few of the tracks including “Around The Backdoor” and the aforementioned “Drops Of Water” are especially short, both being under two minutes, but both provide what might be considered an intermission from some of the heavier tracks with their old-timey, almost ragtime, sound. They might not be the most serious songs in the collection, but they’re fun and just as good as the others.

Lucky Fonz III is an impressive songwriter. He might not be well known in the United States, but that is our loss and something that should be remedied. Sure, Top 40 it isn’t, but the album is packed with songs that are beautiful, poignant and well written and, ultimately, that’s what will stand the test of time. –EVELYN MISKA

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