Music Banter - View Single Post - The Playlist of Life --- Trollheart's resurrected Journal
View Single Post
Old 05-06-2011, 09:56 AM   #9 (permalink)
Trollheart
Born to be mild
 
Trollheart's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: 404 Not Found
Posts: 26,970
Default

Night owl --- Gerry Rafferty --- 1979 (United Artists)

Note: this review was originally written for my first journal back in 2008, and was therefore of course penned prior to the tragic death of Gerry Rafferty. It goes without saying that the man will be sorely missed, and that his music will live on. I'd like to think that perhaps in some small way this review would contribute to the continuation of that legend.

I’ve loved Gerry Rafferty’s music since hearing him on “Baker Street”, way, way back in my youth, and I think this is perhaps one of his best albums. There are hit singles on it, but that’s really incidental: the great music is that which is not heard everyday on the radio, and though everyone can say they know “Baker Street”, or know of it, how many can say the same of “Wise as a serpent” or “The royal mile”?

Gerry has a great way of painting scenes with music: listen to the title track and you’ll see what I mean, as he sings about nightclubs and bars, strangers and friends, sunsets and sunrises, with the haunting music floating over and through the soundscape like some sort of friendly ghost. The opener, “Days gone down”, is one of several pieces that recall Gerry’s youth; reminiscences and memories, some good, some bad, all viewed through the eyes of maturity. It’s driven by a nice saxophone line throughout, and is really bright and breezy, as is most of Gerry’s music --- “You’ve still got that light in your eyes / And our day is coming by and by / I’m travellin’ this long road / Here with you / Still got a long way to go”.

Both “Night owl” and “Get it right next time” were hits for Gerry, and they’re great songs: the latter espouses a really optimistic attitude towards life, which is refreshing if somewhat simplistic if taken at face value, but it’s the tracks that never made it as singles that really shine on this album. “Family tree” is another great chance to look back on a man’s history and life, and a bow to the ties that bind, while “The tourist” is a wry look at Gerry himself, jetting from place to place, gig to gig, where he considers himself a gawping onlooker in most cities he goes to, shaking his head and admitting “Come a long long way from Baker Street!”

“Why won’t you talk to me” reflects a situation familiar to most if not all of us guys, when we’re in the doghouse but can’t figure out why --- “It feels like a bad dream / It feels like a game / I swear this is one time / That I’m not to blame!” Oh yeah --- been there, done that!

All in all, this is never an album that’s gonna set the world on fire, but it’s one I love to trot out occasionally and give a spin --- reminds me of why I love Gerry’s music so much!

Here’s the title track: have you ever felt like this?

TRACKLISTING
1. Days gone down
2 Night owl
3. The way that you do it
4. Why won’t you talk to me
5. Get it right next time
6.Take the money and run
7. Family tree
8. Already gone
9. The tourist
10. It’s gonna be a long night


Suggested further listening: "City to city", "Snakes and ladders", "Sleepwalking", "North and south"
__________________
Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

Last edited by Trollheart; 11-04-2011 at 06:25 AM.
Trollheart is offline   Reply With Quote