Welcome to My Century by Bob Hillman

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Folk Rock | Folk Pop

13 tracks | 41 minutes

Released Nov 2001
on Brave New Records

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sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 02:47 Welcome to My Century lyrics BUY MP3 02:47 Welcome to My Century lyrics "GIFT MP3" 02:47 Welcome to My Century

sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 03:45 Valentine's Day lyrics FREE 03:45 Valentine's Day lyrics "GIFT MP3" 03:45 Valentine's Day

sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 03:07 Games lyrics BUY MP3 03:07 Games lyrics "GIFT MP3" 03:07 Games

sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 02:35 Greenland lyrics BUY MP3 02:35 Greenland lyrics "GIFT MP3" 02:35 Greenland

sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 03:39 The Latenight lyrics BUY MP3 03:39 The Latenight lyrics "GIFT MP3" 03:39 The Latenight

sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 02:42 Movie Star lyrics BUY MP3 02:42 Movie Star lyrics "GIFT MP3" 02:42 Movie Star

sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 04:08 I Need You lyrics BUY MP3 04:08 I Need You lyrics "GIFT MP3" 04:08 I Need You

sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 02:43 Anywhere lyrics BUY MP3 02:43 Anywhere lyrics "GIFT MP3" 02:43 Anywhere

sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 04:25 Las Vegas lyrics BUY MP3 04:25 Las Vegas lyrics "GIFT MP3" 04:25 Las Vegas

sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 02:58 Too Bad For You lyrics BUY MP3 02:58 Too Bad For You lyrics "GIFT MP3" 02:58 Too Bad For You

sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 02:34 Tolstoy lyrics BUY MP3 02:34 Tolstoy lyrics "GIFT MP3" 02:34 Tolstoy

sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 02:39 Bolted Down lyrics BUY MP3 02:39 Bolted Down lyrics "GIFT MP3" 02:39 Bolted Down

sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 03:22 Secret Masterpieces lyrics BUY MP3 03:22 Secret Masterpieces lyrics "GIFT MP3" 03:22 Secret Masterpieces

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Literate, tuneful folk rock.

Editorial review

Despite its imperfections and shortcomings, Bob Hillman's first album, Playing God, was a promising debut. That 1999 release meandered at times, and Hillman demonstrated that he could be overly self-indulgent. But overall, Playing God showed Hillman to be an interesting, clever storyteller. And the New York-based folk-rocker (originally from California) lives up to that CD's promise on his second album, Welcome to My Century; in fact, this disc is slightly more consistent than its predecessor. Like before, Hillman sings in a deadpan vocal style and brings a dry sense of humor to the table -- so dry that some listeners may not realize just how clever and insightful a lyricist he can be. But Hillman's lyrics have a lot of meat on their bones. "Games" finds Hillman examining his own securities, while "Too Bad for You" has a good laugh at the expense of an ex-lover who is full of herself. And perhaps that ex-lover is the woman who Hillman is singing about on "Greenland," which describes that country's geography and icy climate and concludes that she is "twice as cold." But the CD's standpoint track is the brilliant "Bolted Down." This tune is about life in Hillman's adopted home of New York, a city that has been both praised and bashed (mostly praised) by songwriters -- the not-so-favorable odes to the Big Apple have ranged from Buck Owens' "I Wouldn't Live in New York City (If They Gave Me the Whole Dang Town)" to Fear's "New York's Alright if You Like Saxophones." Well, "Bolted Down" neither praises nor bashes New York; the song lampoons the neurotic, paranoid tendencies of some Big Apple residents but still gives the impression that Hillman generally likes his adopted home despite its problems. Overall, Hillman's sense of humor serves him well on this memorable sophomore effort. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide

Bio / Background

Though Bob Hillman may like to have fun with words and employ irony and humor, he above all tries to say something interesting about the way we live now.

On Welcome to My Century, his second collection of honest, literate songs, Bob revitalizes timeworn themes by getting at them from unusual angles. For example, the works of Tolstoy provide the backdrop for a song about a romantic evening in New York City ("Tolstoy"), and geographical and political facts about Greenland inform the story of the disintegration of a relationship ("Greenland"). In "Bolted Down," he turns an absurdist's eye on the neuroses of city dwellers.

Produced by Tommy West in his studio, Somewhere in New Jersey, Welcome to My Century features some of New York City's finest musicians, including guitarist Dave Schramm, who has worked with Freedy Johnston, Richard Buckner, Yo La Tengo, and the Replacements.