Side 1
The album kicks off with “The September
Issue,” a song written by both Ted Zurkowski and Ian McDonald. The sound of
this one, its beat and the guitar work, remind me of the rock music I grew up
on. It’s fairly straightforward, without adornments, without anything
unnecessary. At times, the guitar has a bit of a Chuck Berry thing happening.
Graham Maby is on bass, and Steve Holley is on drums on this track. That’s
followed by “Brand New Car,” also written by both Zurkowski and McDonald. This
one has a sweeter vibe. Ted sings, “Life’s
so easy now,” and we wonder if he is being honest or rather trying to
convince himself of the truth of the statement. “Life’s so easy now/Since you went away/Don’t know what to do/Except to
sleep all day.” This is a totally enjoyable song, and it features some nice
work on flute.
“Bad Old World,” the album’s
title track, comes on strong with a driving beat. This one comes at us at a
fast pace, fitting with the energy and sense of the lyrics, that anxiety felt
by the song’s character, like he’s trying to stay a few steps ahead of the
world that is trying to take his baby. I really like the vocal delivery, which has
a bit of punk to it. Plus, this one contains a Shakespeare reference in the
line, “Brave new world where we sleep
hand in glove.” That is a reference to Miranda’s line “O brave new world/That has such people in ‘t” from The
Tempest. This song was written by Ted Zurkowski, and this seems the perfect
place to get into a bit of his history. Zurkowski is a co-founder of the Frog
And Peach theatre ensemble in New York, a group dedicated to presenting
Shakespeare’s plays with simplicity, intimacy and passion. He just recently
directed the company’s production of King
Lear. So it comes as no surprise to find a Shakespeare reference popping up
in his lyrics. I also appreciate this line, which feels timely: “No compassion anywhere, as far as I can see.”
This is one of my favorite tracks. In addition to good lyrics, this one
features some excellent work on guitar. And it ends with a scream of the word “love.”
“She’s Not Your Life” has a gentle
vibe, its sound a bit more in the folk vein. There is something pretty about
this one. Here is a taste of the lyrics: “When
your heart is not your own anymore/You find that love has gone away without
you/She used to laugh and dance across your floor/Now that girl just laughs at
everything about you.” Things take on more energy again with “Sylvia
Strange,” which has some reggae to its beat, and is a lot of fun. This one
features some unusual and compelling lyrics, such as “Sylvia’s dimples are dragons that play on her face” and “A man may be steel, but a woman is always
mink-lined.” This is another of the record’s highlights. The first side then
ends with a lively rock tune, “Generationless Man,” another track that reminds
me of that music I loved while growing up. There is also a certain humor to
this song (and, really, to most of these tracks). “Don’t get him going ‘cause he’ll never quit/His hands are bloody
now/Throw a rope around him/Try and make him sit/Wipe his worried brow.”
Side 2
The record’s second side opens
with “California,” the guitars on this track having something of a Byrds vibe,
which I like. There are a lot of songs about California, including many titled “California,”
and this one captures and conveys a good sense of what it is like here. “My Hollywood dreams always/gonna want a
brand new start/So keep on California-ing me.” By the way, the Byrds sound
is clearly deliberate, for there is a more direct reference to that band in the
lines “Your mountains and your valleys
and your ocean/And you’re eight miles high.” That’s followed by “Sailing,”
a mellower tune about facing an impending death. But it has a positive,
optimistic bent, heard in the line “It’s
a good day for sailing,” which is repeated. “You’ve set out on your own before/Maybe never quite this far from shore.”
This track features some beautiful work on flute, which seems to lift us up
even as it guides the person onward, a wonderful touch.
I love the opening line of “A
Girl Called Life,” “I’m a guy who can
never keep his thoughts to himself.” It is an interesting line with which
to open, because of course the rest of the song is delivered from his
perspective and so is full of his thoughts, which are clearly not kept from us.
This is another track with a clear sense of humor, particularly in lines like “And my friends have started telling me/Maybe
I should get some help somewhere/Like I really care.” That’s followed by “Old
Man,” which deals, at least in part, with a flood. That guitar lead partway
through has a definite Beatles feel. Then “Terry & Julie” has more of a bright
pop rock sound. “Terry kissed Julie up on
the bridge where/The snow was falling so fast/They looked down at the dirty old
river/And all the boats as they passed.” “Terry & Julie” leads straight
into the record’s final track, “Dementia,” a solid and totally delicious
rocking tune. Dementia has been on our minds lately as we watch the president
stumble around on the White House lawn or getting off or onto planes. But this
song is about the lighter side of dementia, right? It’s part of the natural progression
of life, and an understandable reaction to life’s insanity. And hey, it
contains another Shakespeare reference, this time to Hamlet: “Doctor said it’s a
normal thing/One way to handle life’s arrows and slings.” And actually it
seems there is a nod to King Lear as
well, in the line “Take off our clothes
and run a little mad.” And the lines “Dementia/I
thought I had a plan/Dementia/I just ate my sweater/Dementia/I don’t want to
get better” make me laugh every time. This is a great tune, possibly the
album’s best.
Record Track List
Side 1
- The September Issue
- Brand New Car
- Bad Old World
- She’s Not Your Life
- Sylvia Strange
- Generationless Man
- California
- Sailing
- A Girl Called Life
- Old Man
- Terry & Julie
- Dementia
Bad Old World was released on vinyl on September 3, 2019 on Readout
Records.
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