Listened to this almost exactly last year [19th March 2012], and in giving it another spin, i realise how this album has really seeped into my consciousness, at first i liked a couple of songs, but now they are almost all working their magic on me, it's one of those tremendous Singer / Songwriter albums where all the lyrics make sense, Prophet gives us little vignettes of life, he seems to have an angle or take on most things, there's wry humour in his observations, and of course profound insights too, but the key is couching it all in great music, otherwise he would just be a poet, this album is becoming a little treasure to me.
Chuck Prophet is American, he will hit the big 5-0 this year, he has recorded 13 solo albums, and this is the third effort from him, he recorded this in 1985, what initially attracted me to the album was the front cover, a shot of Prophet on i guess a Motel bed [photo by Kim Stringfellow], a great pose, a flowery shirt which just adds to the very plain room, overlit from the left casts shadows on the bed, and the lamp gives the whole thing a certain glow, i like the lettering also, nicely laid out across his chest, altogether a stunning solo portrait which speaks more than words.
So onto the music, and this time a whole slew of tracks really impressed me, tracks 1, 5, 8 & 10 especially, it's good to hear 1 & 5 inching their way into my brain, and not letting the other two hog the limelight, but ultimately it was tracks 8 & 10 that really got me going, so here's a synopsis of both,
8 Oh Mary - Starts off with a superb drum solo intro [Michael Urbano], nice and resonant, really makes a statement, and it's this drumming beat which permeates the whole track, giving it its tremendous rhythm, and the lyrics are great too 'i followed you through the churchyard, down your crooked path', and 'i get up in the morning, my head is buzzing like a cheap TV', there's an extended guitar solo by Prophet [3:02-3:46], the whole track is so infectious from first to last, you really get swept along by the rhythm of the whole thing, a masterpiece.
10 Madam Rosa's - A nice and twangy intro [0:00-0:16], with what sounds like a national guitar, lovely intro which sets the scene, there's a nice deep twang to some of the acoustic guitar work, Madam Rosa i guess is a Prostitute, or possibly Madam Rosa's is a Brothel, the lyrics are great, 'when she's lying beside me, i love to see the world through her eyes', and 'with so many rooms to hide in, and only the light of the moon to follow you around', a great rocking track.
Chuck Prophet is American, he will hit the big 5-0 this year, he has recorded 13 solo albums, and this is the third effort from him, he recorded this in 1985, what initially attracted me to the album was the front cover, a shot of Prophet on i guess a Motel bed [photo by Kim Stringfellow], a great pose, a flowery shirt which just adds to the very plain room, overlit from the left casts shadows on the bed, and the lamp gives the whole thing a certain glow, i like the lettering also, nicely laid out across his chest, altogether a stunning solo portrait which speaks more than words.
So onto the music, and this time a whole slew of tracks really impressed me, tracks 1, 5, 8 & 10 especially, it's good to hear 1 & 5 inching their way into my brain, and not letting the other two hog the limelight, but ultimately it was tracks 8 & 10 that really got me going, so here's a synopsis of both,
8 Oh Mary - Starts off with a superb drum solo intro [Michael Urbano], nice and resonant, really makes a statement, and it's this drumming beat which permeates the whole track, giving it its tremendous rhythm, and the lyrics are great too 'i followed you through the churchyard, down your crooked path', and 'i get up in the morning, my head is buzzing like a cheap TV', there's an extended guitar solo by Prophet [3:02-3:46], the whole track is so infectious from first to last, you really get swept along by the rhythm of the whole thing, a masterpiece.
10 Madam Rosa's - A nice and twangy intro [0:00-0:16], with what sounds like a national guitar, lovely intro which sets the scene, there's a nice deep twang to some of the acoustic guitar work, Madam Rosa i guess is a Prostitute, or possibly Madam Rosa's is a Brothel, the lyrics are great, 'when she's lying beside me, i love to see the world through her eyes', and 'with so many rooms to hide in, and only the light of the moon to follow you around', a great rocking track.
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