DVDfever.co.uk – Clive Gregson: The Best Of CD reviewElly Roberts reviews
Gregsongs
- Released: April 2009
- Rating: 8/10
- Vote and comment on this album:View Comments
Eclectic singer-songwriter gets a best of, at long last.
English folk-rocker Clive Gregson, 54, now based in Nashville, has been writing some fine tune for a long time now, so we finally get an 18 tracker that showcases his craftsmanship.
In the past Gregson has worked with cult band Any Trouble releasing five album to critical acclaim, in a trio with Boo Hewerdine and ex-Fairground Attraction vocalist Eddi Reader. He was also a regular in Richard Thompsons band, along with being an in-demand session musician, a back-up player-singer and producer. Some of his songs have been covered by Kim Carnes, Norma Waterson and Nanci Griffith; such is his credibility in the music fraternity.
Listening to this CD its more than obvious that Gregson has a leaning more towards the commercial edge of folk, with a hint of pop, enough to appeal to all ages.
Key to his credibility is the fact that theres nothing pretentious about his lyrical or musical content its all about ordinary people and their ordinary lives, with a touch of escapism. The feel is that of a musician whos just popped into your local or even your home, with a voice thats adaptable to the varying styles. Theres a warm, and comforting intimacy about the songs too. Truth is, whatever your musical leanings, theres nothing to dislike about this album, though its likely to appeal to the mature adult audience.
Despite his US residency, Gregsons musical tilt heads for his north west love affair with Manchester, were left to assume, on I Love This Town, which is a tongue in check tale, twitching curtains he mentions, there again, humour is found in many aspects of his work like Antidote and unbridled love a queen without a crown on Camden Town, and the ups-and-down of romance on Trouble With Love, told in a common mans approach that all fellas can relate to.
He creates a wonderful character trapped by his ordinary life, who ponders his dance skills in the hope acquiring the attentions of a one Roslyn Maguire at a local dance somewhere in Yorkshire, dressed up to the nines.
His most stunning work here is the sumptuous and soaring ballad Home Is Where The Heart Is, a story of broken promises as the lover returns to his loved one.
Cornerstone, Comfort And Joy and Cool, Cool Rain are much like the acoustic balladeering synonymous with Ralph Mc Tell or James Taylor: simple and direct, whereas Touch And Go is a soulful pop take, like something out of a Paul Carrack Mike And The Mechanics songbook.
Expanding his repertoire even further, he unleashes a country-rockabilly gem Black Train Coming, proving hes not too easy to pigeonhole.
The verdict Essential listening.
Weblinks:clivegregson.com /myspace.com/clivegregson
The full list of tracks included are :
1. I Love This Town
2. Antidote
3. Home Is Where The Heart Is
4. Trouble With Love
5. Fred Astaire
6. Cornerstone
7. Touch And Go
8. Camden Town
9. Fingerless Gloves
10. Jericho Junction
11. Jewel In Your Crown
12. Cool, Cool Rain
13. Feathers
14. Summer Rain
15. Tattoo
16. Black Train Coming
17. Comfort and Joy
18. There Comes A TimeView the discussion thread.blog comments powered by Disqus= 0) {query += ‘url’ + i + ‘=’ + encodeURIComponent(links[i].href) + ‘&’;}}document.write(”);})();//]]]]>]]>
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.