Daniel Johnston

Music made by people who suffer from maladies of the mind has often been misrepresented, misappropriated and misunderstood - either overly praised, seen as a side-show act, or dismissed as novelty (see Wesley Willis for all three) - and Daniel Johnston certainly has suffered that fate. Best known for a series of lo-fi independent cassettes that caught on in the late '80s, Johnston's biggest moment of fame came with the inclusion of "Casper the Friendly Ghost" on the Kids soundtrack. But Johnston is a prolific and gifted songwriter, and on Rejected Unknown, he's made one of his best-sounding albums. But its weaknesses, in occasionally stupid songs or some lulls in the action, almost make this more of a Daniel Johnston album. It's this leftfield vision that fans have come to expect and for this return from major label exile after almost seven years, it's certainly a welcome one. Rejected Unknown is a really good, mature and accomplished album from an artist who has faced down the darkness and has a few strange tales to tell.