Mike Silver: Alchemy: 50 Years in Song (CD on Folkstock Records)

Band: Mike Silver
Label: Folkstock Records
Title: Alchemy: 50 Years in Song

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Band:Mike Silver
Title:Alchemy: 50 Years in Song
Reviewed By:Malcolm Carter
Date Published:04/07/2019

Label:Folkstock Records
Format:CD
Release Year:2019
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The Folkstock Record label has released some of the most inspiring and important music over the last few years but with the release of ‘Alchemy’ they really have reached new heights. Mike Silver has been making music forever. He’s now in his early seventies and still writing and recording, and Folkstock should be commended for suggesting that Silver puts together a ‘best of’ his work for the label to release. Despite a long career in music, Silver will be unknown to many. This album celebrating fifty years of his music should go some way to rectifying that.

Choosing just sixteen songs could not have been an easy task but there’s not a song that doesn’t deserve to be on this collection; it’s rare that a ‘best-of’ lives up to its description, but although some might find their favourite Silver song is missing it would be nit-picking to question the songs chosen. It is an outstanding collection, highlighting all that is special about Mike Silver. It also raises the question as to why Silver isn’t better known.

The CD we have in our hands is beautifully presented. The introduction as to how the album came about written by Silver is almost worth the price of admission alone. The twelve page lyric and story booklet is one of those which you’ll find hard to put down, especially while listening to the collection. It’s obvious a lot of thought and care has been given to this set of songs. And rightly so.

Silver has issued nineteen albums and selecting just sixteen songs from that body of work might have resulted in an uneven listening experience, but even given the vintage of some of these recordings those new to Mike Silver would be forgiven for thinking that this was a collection of songs written, and for the most part, recorded recently. The selection of songs holds up well together, and again some thought has gone into which songs have been included.

The collection kicks off with ‘Walk Away’, a catchy pop song, which is possibly the most daytime radio friendly track on offer on this album. Co-written with Jo Partridge, the song is one of those that are impossible to get out of your head after just one listen. The "let your feet do the walking" line which runs throughout the song is going to be rattling around inside your head for days, annoying every one around you as you are compelled to sing along. ‘Alchemy’ will be the first many have heard of Mike Silver but many of these songs will have a familiar ring about them. Part of this is that, for the most part, Silver’s songs belong firmly in the classic singer-songwriter mould and there are other contemporary artists who share a lot in common with Silver; those smitten by the work of Reg Meuross, for example, will find much to enjoy on ‘Alchemy’ especially on tracks like ‘Pollyanna’. Like Meuross, Silver’s melodies just flow naturally and both artists have the knack for dressing little story-songs in gorgeous tunes. Jo Partridge appears again on ‘Down South’, this time as producer and lead guitarist. Again, possibly because of Partridge’s involvement, the song explores Silver’s poppier leanings while never losing sight of his folk roots or what a talented lyricist Silver is.

‘Dove and the Dolphin’ finds Johnny Coppin taking lead vocals on one verse which, along with outstanding backing vocals from Nancy March, Lynne Reynolds, Julie Boreham and Roger Nicholls, adds texture and atmosphere to this tale concerning the sailing trip John Maughan took, financed by David Halpin, to Gaza, taking clothing and medicine to Palestinian children. The song showcases just how powerful Silver is lyrically.

The selection of songs can’t be faulted but the collection wouldn’t have been complete to these ears without the inclusion of the cheating song, ‘Wrong Side of Midnight’. The same can be said for ‘Not a Matter of Pride’, another song concerning a marriage that’s not going to last the course although the latter song comes from a different place.

It’s not all folk or folksy pop. The blues-infused ‘Oh Doctor’ has already been played on Cerys Matthews blues show. Silver also shows his blues leanings on ‘NASA’, written about he loss of lives on the Challenger space shuttle.

‘Alchemy’ is the perfect introduction to the music of Mike Silver. It is a beautifully presented set that deserves the attention of any music fan, not just folk music devotees.

Track Listing:

01) Walk Away
02) When Pollyanna Gets The Blues
03) Down South
04) Dove And The Dolphin
05) Not For You
06) Wrong Side Of Midnight
07) Not A Matter Of Pride
08) Oh Doctor
09) This Heart Sings
10) Elaina
11) N.A.S.A
12) Breaking The Silence
13) Pretoria
14) How Many Rivers
15) JCB
16) Old Fashioned Saturday Night

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After fifty years, and nineteen albums, Mike Silver picks the ‘best-of’ his work while Folkstock Records give it the treatment it deserves

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Alchemy: 50 Years in Song - CD
After fifty years, and nineteen albums, Mike Silver picks the ‘best-of’ his work while Folkstock Records give it the treatment it deserves

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