Phil Foster

'Manifest Destiny's a lie.' With those lyrics (taken from the title track of this, his latest album), Dean Friedman hoists the flag up his metaphorical mast. The singer-songwriter's aim is to illustrate his native America: its positive features, yes; but, more importantly, its 'original [and present] sins'. In his words: 'We didn't get this way overnight.' History is our teacher; unless we learn, mistakes will be repeated. And history, in tracks one and three: "American Lullaby" and "Halfway Normal World" is what Mr Friedman examines... The opening track addresses the child: 'Don't you fret now. Don't you cry.' America's record of conquest and mistreatment of the indigenous population: its "Manifest Destiny" (or perceived "God-given right" to subjugate) is referenced, as in the scourge of slavery; also highlighted is the present-day desperation of people to escape across the border to it: their hope being to live their version of the "American Dream"... Meanwhile, "Halfway Normal World" veers between the more recent past and the present; the desire to re-experience life as it used to be is strong: cinema visits, fast-food consumption, jukeboxes, baseball games, general socialising... But pandemic concerns have intervened; lingering – rather neatly, I think – beneath the surface of the lyrics: 'Take me out to the ballgame... The catcher... is wearing a mask.' The track, "Wear a Mask" is much more upfront in its "breathy" introduction and clever chorus rhymes: 'Unless you want to end up lying in a casket, wear a mask, wear a mask...' "Just Another Birthday Song" is another "social distancing" track: will this date it? I'm not sure Mr Friedman cares! "I Wish You Joy" has a catchy, mid-70s-style arrangement with a well-worked Larry Adler-type harmonica accompaniment. "The Swing of Things" swings along with ellipses illustrating a previous lethargy: 'My... my "get up and go" was gone.' "Too Much Stuff" is appropriately verbose: a tongue-twisting, tangled, tour-de-force from the trusty troubadour! Most remaining tracks are very political: "The Russians Are Coming" is – like "Too Much Stuff" – fast. Now, Mr Friedman critiques the Trump Administration/Kremlin rather than a version of himself! "Ridin' With Biden" is a "campaign song"; we really "hit the trail" with vehicle horns and sirens! "Sorry 'bout That" laments environmental destruction – and the phony apologies of those responsible: 'We poisoned the well... didn't mean to do that.' "Welcome to Stupid Town" is about a faux-childlike place that exaggerates and encapsulates so much that is wrong in American society: 'We value our freedoms and our fun, that's why every child gets their very own handgun!' "On a Summer's Night" is a non-political ending to the album. The birdsong atmosphere evokes shades of "Prelude" from Kate Bush's 2005 masterpiece, "Aerial". The music is fittingly relaxing; and the title and lyrics are like a homage to "Silent Night": 'All is calm and the world seems right.' And that's how I felt after listening: relaxed... but challenged, too! Hopefully, you will come to this firm conclusion: 'Here is one "Lullaby" that has not sent me to sleep!'