Has Been - review

His last album was released in 1968. Now it's 2004. It seems quite ridiculous when you think about it doesn't it? That a man could release albums so far apart, and still show an equal amount of zest and passion at the age of almost-70 that he did at 20-something. William Shatner has never forced things though, and that's what's made him such an interesting person to so many people. Whatever it was that he did, he was at the center of it, and you got the impression that he was doing it regardless of what other people wanted from him. That fact will, of course, be taken with a pinch of salt in todays market. Nothing is sacred anymore, and even the spontaneous and interesting artists can be pimped (in very clever and ever-more complex ways). So people willing to latch onto Shatner now as some 'cool icon' can do so, let them, but of course they'll never truly let this music penetrate them, it'll just be bought as a piece of furniture to show off, make a false laugh at and increase ones hipness. That is irrelevant to 'the Shat' though. All that matters is whether or not Shatner was complicit in pimping himself, is Shatner totally self-aware at what he's doing, and just doing it anyway, pandering to an audience? Let's let this album decide that. Let's listen.

This album is decidedly more 'real' and grounded than his first brilliant, legendary album, which whilst equally evocative, was also slightly distant (as in- another universe). Shatner was still shooting the original Star Trek series when he released that ahead-of-it's time/timeless record, and there is a sort of earthly detachment to the pieces featured on it, which were either such classical literary texts that their language was from another un-relateable era, or psychadelic rock songs that will only ever be associated with that one (brilliantly creative) moment in time in North America and are equally somewhat isolationist in terms of how many people can react to them. This album is not that, it's much more autobiographical, there isn't any Shakespearian, and there isn't any psychadelic rock. Even the much talked-about cover version of Pulp's 'Common People' is suprisingly direct and simple in its message and delivery style. All throughout we are listening to the open and vulnerable William Shatner talking to us (and yes, he is still talking, in that same way!) Whilst the choices he made for the 'readings' on his first album still reflected his personality in a very clear sense, these songs seem to reflect more of what he actually is, more of what he's experienced and not what he once aspired to (okay, simple point seeing as he's older now!). The songs on Has Been are a diary, and that diary has a style, that's very much in the blues/country/easy listening category. So no, it's not very exciting music, but does it work? Yes.

The albums masterpiece, 'It hasn't happened yet' sees a tender Shatner reflecting, remembering and mourning his perceived failure in life. Success is something that's infinitely more complex than simply getting his name in the spotlight, because as he admits, "There are nods in my direction, a clap of hands, a knowing smile...sure I can get to the front of the queue, but then you have to put up with the looks..." from that perspective, 'success' is nothing but another sort of hell, another sort of failure, and it gets a little more deep and honest as the phrases running through his mind are laid out bare for us to take-in "I'm scared again... fear of failure... I'm afraid I'm going to fall..." and as he so delicately puts it, he wants to "make his folks proud", he wants that "feeling of contentment, that ease at night when you put your head down..." It's beautifully deep stuff and you get the feeling it could get even more deeper before it closes out. It's also an example of the music going perfectly with the delivery, Shatner and the simple piano line on the chorus interact with each other like emotional dancers making babies.

Let me now get into the bad stuff before I go any further. The guest appearances- they aren't needed, and even if they were needed, they aren't done convincingly or with much conviction at all. In most cases they just demean the value of the whole project, they make it seem as if Shatner needs someone- when he really doesn't. They make it seem as if some record execs said, "We better get this guy to sing on this bit, because it just sounds too weird without singing!" Well, that was the first reaction I had when I heard 'The Transformed Man', but I soon saw the beauty in a capable actor speaking real words in a convincing way, and if there was no need for it in '68, I don't see any need for it in 2004 when the man has that much more experience.

Real words are still spoken though, and on the Nick Hornby penned 'That's me trying' he sounds completely credible as the estranged father figure trying to be as realistic as possible in approaching the daughter that he never helped raise. It's not something you'd expect to hear on a CD, which is what makes it "fascinating" (as Mr.Spock would say.) Equally real, and slightly more troubling is what seems like Shatners recollection of the death of his late-wife, who drowned and died in his home only a few years ago. There's no music, but there is intimate pain. The rather less interesting moments are on 'Familiar Love' and perhaps 'Ideal Woman' (although his perfect comedy timing on the latter ensure that you will still get a few laughs out of it).

So there it is. The earnest closer 'Real' finishes off the albums diary-style confessions, but not before we have a few laughs with the rant on modern American society that is 'I can't get behind that' (featuring a slightly less convincing Henry Rollins) and the very canadian-style humour displayed on the title track 'Has Been' will have a lot of people smiling (and everyone else confused). What did I learn? That William Shatner is a pretty honest guy who just made an album... as he tells it, "I get a phone-call.. they say we want you to do a record'...I thought 'do they want me to do something that they can mock, and point a finger at?' and I don't wanna do that!" And later when talking to Ben Folds (who produces the music on the album) he said "What I going to do?" His friends response? "Tell the truth..." may sound corny to some, but that's what this album does for me, it tells a truth. There's nothing more worthy of your attention in a world filled with bad-expression.