The album opens with “Sitting
On The Edge Of The World,” and that’s how it often feels these days, doesn’t
it? Fires and hatred and violence, and a sociopath occupying the White House
who does his best to ignite more fires with his racist vitriol. It seems like
we are on the edge of destruction, and could all easily topple over into
oblivion. Or have we already? Kim Wilson (of The Fabulous Thunderbirds) joins
Peter Karp on harmonica on this track, which is sort of a love song, taking
place at the end. “Lifeless, limbless
trees silhouette the horizon line/A lone bell tolls a distorted, chortled chime/A
tattered flag waves limp where once unfurled/Here we are, sitting on the edge
of the world.” Of course, the fact that there might be love after all the
destruction is enough to give me a bit of hope. That’s followed by “The Letter,”
which features some good work on guitar. Check out these lines: “Now I walk this world alone haunted from the
ground/Memories taunt me as I drift from town to town/Got a crumpled up letter
in my pocket/Got a crumpled up letter in my pocket/And no one to mail it to.”
The line about drifting from town to town reminds me of the sad ending to each
episode of The Incredible Hulk
television series, though this song has a full sound. I like those backing
vocals at the end.
As “She Breaks Her Own Heart”
begins, it announces itself as a more playful track with that count-off, and
then those horns and that good groove. Its opening lines are “I loved her to death, I couldn’t say why/Still
as much as I loved her, I didn’t want to die/No matter how it was or how good
it got right from the start/It was just a matter of time that girl, she’d break
her own heart.” It seems like the beginning of a good short story, or perhaps
voice over at the start of a film, and I’m pulled in by those lines. This song
ends up being one of my favorites. “She
walks away with a laugh, but if you listen close, it’s really a cry.” I
like that instrumental section, especially the horns, which seem to be having a
conversation, telling us more about this woman. And I love those backing vocals
toward the end. Then “This World” has a bright sound, a sound that works to
unite us, which makes sense, as it’s a song about life, about the world and
about how “This world is hard to define,”
something we are all noticing and experiencing. “We’re living in a mixed up and shook up world/Falling down, we get lost
in the swirl/But it’s love and understanding and a little amen/That picks us all
up to get back on our feet again.” I often wonder why there are so many
problems; after all, we really are all basically in the same situation, struggling
through and using what little time we’re given, and none of us knows what the
hell is going on. I am digging those backing vocals echoing “This world.” This song is another
highlight for me. Jim Eingher plays piano on this track.
Kim Wilson joins Peter Karp
again on harmonica for “The Grave,” a song with a steady, slower, meaner blues
groove. “And while talking to a preacher
might get you saved/You know some things are best taken to the grave.” And
in the verse where his woman wants him to open up to her, it is clear he is not
the trusting sort. No, he is more guarded, and perhaps for good reason. “Well, you can’t take no money or earthly
possessions/None of that stuff can help in hell or heaven.” During the
instrumental section, there is some seriously cool work by Kim Wilson on
harmonica. Then in the very next track, “Scared,” he does open up, singing at
the beginning, “I am scared/So very
scared/And for so long/Seems like forever/I’ve longed for you.” There is
something beautiful and soulful about this mellow tune. It is based on a poem
by Mary Lou Bonney Karp, and then re-written by Peter Karp, but keeping the
female perspective. James Otis Karp plays guitar on it. That’s followed by “Chainsaw,”
a playful, fun song with a loose sound. “I’m
out on a limb, I’m out on a limb/I’m out on a limb, and baby’s got a chainsaw.”
Jason Ricci adds some great stuff on harmonica. And then when the backing
vocals come in, echoing the main lines, well, things can’t get much better. I
absolutely love this song.
“Let It On Out” has a cool vibe
from the moment it starts, with that delicious groove and that excellent stuff
from the horn section. Peter Karp delivers a vocal performance with a
wonderfully relaxed and composed style. But when he sings, “Let it on out, let it on out, let it on out,”
well, you get the sense that anything could happen. And we’re eager to see just
exactly what will be let out. The band keeps the cool vibes alive with a song
so cool that the very word is in its title twice, “Cool Cool Thing.” This one
too has a relaxed, kind of mellow vocal delivery. Hey, no need to shout, no
need to brag, just deliver it straight and know you’re in control. However, the
track does include an energetic keyboard part. That’s followed by “The Last
Heartbeat,” a soulful number with something of a classic sound and some nice
country elements. “When it’s over, it’s
really done/Don’t be afraid/Taste the bittersweet/Because you’ll never hear the
last heartbeat.”
“Going Home” has a great raw,
back porch sound, and features some excellent work by Jason Ricci on harmonica.
As I’m getting older, these lines certainly strike a chord with me: “This old body is full of rust/And my mind is
all a fuss/I’ve got to go polish the chrome/I’m going home.” Then “Compassion”
begins by asking several questions, such as “What helps us understand when we look back?/What makes us fight,
forgive and forget?” And the answer is “Compassion,” something that is
completely lacking in the scoundrels pretending to lead this country now, which
is why we are in such deep trouble as a nation. This song has a certain power,
and it kind of sneaks up on you. Edward Williams plays bass on this one, and
Jim Eingher is on piano. The album concludes with “Face The Wind,” a track that
comes as a surprise when it begins with the sound of strings. It also features
some nice work on keys. “The world has
gone mad outside/While all the time you and I/Stand side by side and grin.”
And I love these lines: “The game we find
ourselves in/Only a fool plays to win.” I think a lot of people need to
hear those lines. There is an honest, rough quality to the vocal performance, his
voice even breaking at one point. “But in
the end we’ll know when we meet again/We were born to face the wind.”
CD Track List
- Sitting On The Edge Of The World
- The Letter
- She Breaks Her Own Heart
- This World
- The Grave
- Scared
- Chainsaw
- Let It On Out
- Cool Cool Thing
- The Last Heartbeat
- Going Home
- Compassion
- Face The Wind
Magnificent Heart was released on May 8, 2020.
No comments:
Post a Comment