Just Like There's Nothin' to It

1	What It Is Is a Dream 4:11
2	Wild as the Wind 4:15
3	The Change Song 4:23
4	The World Is Full of People 2:50
5	Autumn This Year 3:31
6	I Just Work Here 3:49
7	There's Everybody Else (And Then There's You) 4:09
8	Oh, Yesterday 3:37
9	I Married a Girl 4:29
10	The Pretend Song 3:26
11	I'm in Love 3:56
12	About a Dream 3:14

Barnes & Noble

The aw-shucks title of this disc, Forbert's first all-new studio set in more than four years, belies the carefully crafted material in its grooves. More fleshed-out than the singer-songwriter's sparse late-'90s material, Just like There's Nothin' to It finds Forbert dabbling in both classic AM radio pop (the sweetly spun "The Change Song" could easily pass muster on a "Best of 1974" mix tape) and more muscular heartland rock (like the bloodied-but-unbowed blue-collar ode "I Just Work Here"). While most of the disc's dozen songs accentuate the positive -- Forbert has said he's tired of music designed to bring people down -- he does visit the dark side a few times. "Wild as the Wind," one of three tracks to feature harmony vocals by Edie Brickell, pays homage to the late Rick Danko without glossing over the Band singer-bassist's prodigious substance abuse. Likewise, Forbert offers a glimpse into his own life on the divorce-themed "I Married a Girl" and "The Pretend Song." Even then, however, he doesn't play the melodrama card, and by couching his sentiments in amiable arrangements that feature bright banjo and pedal steel, Forbert makes even the disc's choppier waters a pleasure to navigate. David Sprague

All Music Guide

Steve Forbert's first collection of new songs since Evergreen Boy in 2000, Just Like There's Nothin' to It boasts a pair of fine new tunes, the well-observed "I Just Work Here" and the buoyant, poppy "Autumn This Year," both of which show that Forbert can still write a fine song when the gears mesh properly. The album also benefits from Jason Lehning and Marc Muller's production, which is strong and effective without weighing down the melodies, while offering space for guest spots from Edie Brickell and Bruce Springsteen sideman Garry Tallent. Featuring a solid studio band and Forbert in solid (if maturing) voice, Just Like There's Nothin' to It ought to appeal to his core of fans, even if it isn't likely to expand their number. Mark Deming