Last Year’s Man: “Brave The Storm” (2020) CD Review

I was curious about Last Year’s Man, in large part because there is an excellent Leonard Cohen song by that title, and any Leonard Cohen connection naturally gets me interested. Last Year’s Man is the project of singer and songwriter Tyler Fortier, who is based in Eugene, Oregon. Brave The Storm, the debut album from Last Year’s Man, features all original material written by Tyler Fortier. And, as you’d expect from someone brave enough to risk soliciting comparisons to Leonard Cohen, Tyler Fortier clearly has a talent for crafting compelling lyrics. In addition to the vocals, Tyler Fortier plays acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano and keyboard on this release. He is joined by several other musicians on various tracks.

The album opens with its title track, “Brave The Storm,” a pretty and pensive number, with a gentle approach, as if not wanting to disturb someone who has at long last found a peaceful moment. “Now there’s rain at your window/It’s waking you up at dawn/Louder than the trains at night/That rattle in your head.” And then when Tyler’s voice is joined by that of Anna Tivel, the song becomes even more beautiful, offering comfort to us. “We can brave the storm,” they tell us, and I believe them. Anna Tivel also adds some gorgeous work on violin. Milo Fultz is on bass, and Lex Price is on tenor guitar. Then Erin Flood Fortier joins Tyler Fortier on vocals for “No Eye On The Sparrow,” a cool song with a somewhat darker, more somber atmosphere and a sense of impending trouble, particularly with the lines “There’s a storm coming” and “And the hammer is coming down.” Toward the end, the song takes on a greater energy or force. Bart Budwig adds some work on trumpet, which is interesting, for the lyrics include these lines: “The watchmen and their trumpets/Are not making a sound.” Jeremy Burchett is on drums, and Peter Perdichizzi is on electric guitar. Then the steady drum beat gives “My Own Ghost Town” a more positive, confident vibe, seeming to promise a favorable outcome even for those who might be troubled and “Burdened by the truth.” This track also features some nice work by Philippe Bronchtrin on pedal steel. Anna Tivel offers more beautiful work here as well. “And I told you stories you believed/There’s no looking ahead/With yesterday’s eyes.”

Tyler Fortier then offers us a love song, “Guide You Back To Me” It may not be an overly cheerful one, but is a true love song. “And I know that time is not our friend anymore/And our hearts too heavy/I will try to find you through the miles and miles away from home/And when you’re lonely/I will guide you back to me.” Erin Flood Fortier provides some gentle and tender backing vocals. Ehren Ebbage is on drums on this track. Both Erin Flood Fortier and Christopher Porterfield provide backing vocals on “Wild, Wild Heart,” a song with some striking lyrics, such as “Where the moon hung worthless/Like a burned-out bulb” and “If time is my captor/And the night is a thief/The past is the past/And the arrow of time is a one way street.” I also love the pretty guitar work.

“The Dark End Of The Road” begins softly, but soon builds in power, like it is determined to rouse us, to pull us together, and help us see how things can be better. There is still hope, as long as are able to move, even if we are going the wrong way. “But it got us where we need to be/It took our heart, our home, and stole our pride/From the dark end of the road to the other side.” Jesse Terry provides backing vocals on this one. That’s followed by “Feet Of Clay,” a love song with a pretty and uplifting sound. The lyrics, of course, are not completely straightforward, keeping things interesting. “She’s like a wild river/Always promising the sea/She’s never where she’s going/And I’m not where I’m supposed to be.” There is some moving work on violin by Erik Berg Johansen. Kati Claborn and Luke Ydstie provide some good backing vocals. The album concludes with “The Valley Of Jehoshaphat,” which features a set of lyrics that will likely capture your attention, particularly if you’ve been following the crazy events in the news. “So grab your guns, your bullets, and your hats/Grab your whiskey and your bible.”  And I am reminded of another Leonard Cohen song in the lines, “The god that they pray to won’t rest your soul/These birds on the wire are from days of old.”

CD Track List

1. Brave The Storm
2. No Eye On The Sparrow
3. My Own Ghost Town
4. Guide You Back To Me
5. Wild, Wild Heart
6. The Dark End Of The Road
7. Feet Of Clay
8. The Valley Of Jehoshaphat
   

Brave The Storm was released on November 13, 2020.