Philip Boone’s new CD, A Light And A Line, is a wonderful blend of folk and country music,
with some pop elements. There are lots of sweet, positive, somewhat laid back
vibes to these tunes (like “In The Meantime”). I love the general feel of this
album. Certainly, one element leading to that overall vibe is Philip’s voice,
which has a sweet vulnerability and earnestness (like in these lines from “The
Truth Is”: “But if there’s a way/To make
a good thing stay/The truth is I don’t even want to know”). There is
something true, even timeless about this music – it feels neither contemporary nor
nostalgic (though the CD cover art has a certain early 1970s look). There are
times when I wonder just how much his living in Topanga Canyon has had an
influence on his style, and on the imagery he uses, a lot of which comes from
nature (sun or sunshine is mentioned in many of these songs, for example).
A Light And A Line
is Philip Boone’s second album, and the songs are all originals. The entire
album is good, but there are some stand-outs. My favorites are “Margarita (A
Good Friend of Mine),” “Three Short Stories” and “Don’t You Know.”
A Light And A Line
opens with "Either Way," a bright country rock tune. Its first lines are, “Well, you can tell me I’m the one/Or use me
just for fun on Saturday night/Either way, I’ll be all right.” How’s that
for a good attitude? And I love his delivery on “all right,” holding onto “all”
a little longer than you might expect. I also like the following lines: “You can buy me fancy clothes/Or keep on
talking until my boredom shows.” This is kind of a playful tune about a
resilient spirit, sung with a sweet voice. But there is a hint of vulnerability
too, in lines like “You can fill the void
in me”.
The second track, “Margarita (A Good Friend Of Mine),” is
one of my favorites. It’s a pretty folk tune that begins with just acoustic
guitar. Its real, full beauty becomes apparent when the other instruments come
in (I’m particularly fond of the piano). It’s sung like a letter to someone who
is missed: “Dear Margarita, we haven’t
spoken in some time/Oh, for the most part things have been working out fine/The
weather is warm, there’s almost too much sunshine/Your life’s looking up, but
I’m missing a good friend of mine.” The vocals on this one are particularly
good. And I love the instrumental section with harmonica and piano. This is a
really wonderful song. (By the way, the album’s title comes from this song’s
lyrics: “From my dark hole, with only a
light and a line/You drew me up, now I’m missing a good friend of mine.”) I
could go for a margarita right now.
“Nowhere To Be Found” is quite different, beginning with
vocals and a steady thump on the kick drum and handclaps (with some background
noise). I prefer the sections with the rest of the band.
“Brother” has a simply beauty to it, with vocals and
acoustic guitar. This is an unusual and really good song. Check out these
lyrics: “Brother, are you running from
the law/In a faded photograph I think I saw/The same face that I once wore.”
There is something wonderful in the occasionally somewhat awkward guitar
playing – it gives the song an added sense of being true, of being immediate
(rather than planned and perfected), which really works for the material.
“Country Song” has a fun, bright, kind of playful feel.
It’s one of those easy-going folk and country tunes that make you feel good,
with an enjoyable harmonica part. If this doesn’t put a smile on your face,
please consult a physician. Here is a taste of the lyrics: “Now here I stand beside the sea/I caught the
sun, and then I set it free/I touched the land with my bare hands/Now I own my
life, now I own my life.”
“Three Short Stories” has a really nice groove, and
features banjo, which I love. I also really like this song’s lyrics, with lines
like, “Going nowhere and taking you.”
This is another of the album’s many wonderful songs, and it includes some nice
work on harmonica.
“Don’t You Know” begins so sweetly, so quietly, with just
acoustic guitar and humming, sounding truly pretty. Then the vocals and keys
come in, and it’s just wonderful. “Don’t
you know I’d climb the mountain for you.” Now this is what I call a love
song. Check out these beautiful lines: “Don’t
you know that we could live forever more/On the sandy beach of any given
shore/And the waves will wash us to sleep/And the stars will be ours to keep.”
I absolutely love this song.
It ends at 3:12; then at 3:30, there is another tune, an
instrumental – solo piano – that is really pretty. On the CD it’s referred to
only as the “piano outro,” so perhaps it’s considered part of “Don’t You Know,”
even though there are several seconds of silence before it starts. This piece
was written by Charlie Hale.
CD Track List
- Either Way
- Margarita (A Good Friend Of Mine)
- Nowhere To Be Found
- Brother
- One Star
- In The Meantime
- Asking The Wind
- Country Song
- After Morning
- The Truth Is
- Three Short Stories
- Don’t You Know
Musicians
Musicians appearing on this release include Philip Boone
on vocals, guitar and harmonica; Angelo Felder on guitar and banjo; Charlie
Hale on piano and organ; Steven Smith on bass; and Greg Rogove on drums.
A Light And A Line
was released on March 19, 2013.
.png){kind=tracking}
.jpg)
No comments:
Post a Comment