True to form, a new album from Gerry Colvin is always something to look forward to and to be enjoyed. Back and Forth is one of those very pleasant experiences. All eleven tracks and 45 minutes of listening are self-penned from the magical pen of Gerry Colvin.
Featuring Jerome Davies, and twins Trish Power with her brother Michael Keelan, this album doesn’t disappoint. Kicking off with the very lovely but sad ‘Watching Feathers Fall’, we are immediately under Gerry Colvin’s spell. One of my favourite Gerry songs.
‘Fate’s Fast Car’ raises the tempo rather, and we are now foot tapping. This is followed by the lovely lively singalong ‘One More Week’ which reminds me of being in fields at Festivals particularly Cropredy when Gerry rocked the 20k plus crowd. Apt for the time I’m writing this review on the last day of August, and it’s feeling autumnal today. Let’s have summer back ‘One More Week’!
‘The Man That She Left You For’ is a very deep melodic haunting song, the love triangle and the person singing in the first person is the lover and how he feels about it. Very cleverly written. Another favourite of mine – ‘The Bell’ is an extraordinary emotional story of the process of manufacturing a bell – with a difference. The sweat and toil of miners, of war, of peace, it’s all in that song. Very strong and passionate story telling. I get goose pimples when I hear this every time. ‘The Bell’ is singing the song.
‘Someone Else’s Shoes’ is about a partner who needs to be elsewhere all the time and not living in the moment. Patience is not prevalent in this song of the person who is the main act in the story! Her partner is frustrated that he can’t enjoy and take time out of where they are at that moment, even under a full moon! ‘The Tragical Conceit Of Captains Millbank And Kat’ reminds me with the music being so sort of nautical and jolly of the music to kick off Captain Pugwash!! Very humorous and fast moving. A great swashbuckling lyric. Love is involved of course! Lots of violin and accordion.
‘Light Of The World’ is about a flame that keeps us moving on in various situations, and distinguishing right from wrong. The flame banishes fears and sees beauty from within and with one voice to sing. Love this track. ‘The Ninth Song’ is singing that it isn’t a significant song, such as Fred Astaire or Paul Anka, it isn’t the 8th or 10, 11th song, but does mention Steve Knightley and Phil Beer of Show of Hands! Another humorous but clever lyric.
‘The Neverendum’ is a very fast paced track, plenty of foot stomping but about a serious matter. Voting. Is it worth it, or is it a lost cause to do so. Trust when voting? Do we? Have we voted for the right person?
The last track is a really sad and hard track to listen to for those of us who have lost loved ones to the dreadful disease of Dementia and Alzheimer’s. Gerry wrote this in memory of his beloved Mum, and I find it hard to listen to and to watch him sing it live. Very brave of him. The words are just amazing. He has really thought about this. Life with loneliness, locked inside their heads, occasional lucidity bringing them back to the now. Living in their past. Nobody hears them crying or laugh, or about their future or past. At the mercy of their carers. A very poignant end to the album but fabulously done.
Back And Forth was recorded at Rhythm Studios and produced by Gerry Colvin and Paul Johnston.
Jean Camp
You can buy the album from www.gerrycolvin.com and also find out where he is playing live as he is a must see live kind of guy! Ably assisted by his band members, you are guaranteed a fun gig but lots of seriously good music.
‘One More Week’ – live:
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