Reg Meuross - Dragonfly

  by Malcolm Carter

published: 8 / 11 / 2008

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Review

This, the fourth album by a Somerset-based singer-songwriter who has been performing for some twenty-odd years, is like a breath of fresh air. With fourteen songs that, but for the topics a few of the songs cover, sound like they could have been pulled from any number of classic singer / songwriter albums recorded during the past 30 years or so, Reg Meuross makes a strong case that he may just be our most interesting home-grown troubadour right now. If, like me, you are hearing Meuross for the first time then you’ll no doubt be as impressed as I am by his vocal prowess. His vocals could well be too sweet for some. It’s certainly a polished vocal performance he puts in on each and every one of these songs and there isn’t a slightest hint of a rough edge anywhere but that’s not to say that he lacks passion and emotion in his voice. But what sets Meuross apart from other singer / songwriters is that he is a master storyteller who sets his short, thought provoking essays to the sweetest of melodies. Meuross, like all good storytellers, draws you into his songs with that warm and inviting voice and once in you won’t want to leave. The album starts with ‘Fool’s Gold’, a touching tale of a married woman leaving her wedding ring behind in a hotel room after an adulterous night for it to be found by the chambermaid who slips in onto her finger which is where it stays.‘The Sound Of Hallelujahs’ tells the tale of the conversation Meuross had with his daughter Lily where they debated who made the best version of ‘Hallelujah’, its composer Leonard Cohen or Jeff Buckley. I’ll side with the younger Meuross and go for Buckley but maybe the best thing to come out of the discussion is this beautiful new song ; Meuross has again come up with an absolutely lovely melody and his perfect, smooth vocals are at their best on this song. From one classic song another is born. The title song, ‘Dragonfly’, while far from being the best song on this album, has what is definitely the catchiest chorus. The verses build until that simple yet so catchy chorus breaks in, you’ll be singing along to it by the end of the song. It’s not until you listen to the words that you realise that a song concerning terrorism and 9/11 has got you singing along like the world is a happy place… ‘Until I Hold You Once Again’ will strike you as one of the prettiest, touching love songs you’ve heard in many a year until you read the introduction Meuross wrote in the notes ; he wrote the song after seeing a programme in which a mother spoke about her daughter who was one of the five prostitutes murdered in Suffolk. Once that fact is revealed the song becomes even more affecting and the musical backing is sympathetic, the instruments weep throughout the song highlighting the controlled emotion in Meuross’ vocals. While we could take all of the fourteen songs here and go into detail about the story each one covers mention must be made of the song ‘And Jesus Wept’. Another true story set to another unforgettable Meuross melody the song was described by none other that Mike Harding as “one of the best songs I’ve ever heard about the First World War”. I’d go along with the talented Mr. Harding on that but also go as far as to say that it’s one of the best songs I’ve ever heard no matter what subject a song was covering. The melody is simply stunning and will get under your skin and stay with you forever. The lyrics tell the story of Harry Farr who was executed by his own troops for desertion even though he was suffering from shell shock. Farr became the first of the 306 men who were executed in similar circumstances to receive a pardon from the British government ; the fact that it took until March 2006 and then only after the efforts of Farr’s daughter and granddaughter for this to happen only makes the song even more poignant. While the album wouldn’t be the same without the sterling back-up from the musicians Meuross has chosen for this album, John ‘Rabbit’ Bundrick (Free, the Who) on keyboards, B. J. Cole (Cochise, Elton John, David Gilmour…and Hank Wangford’s band who also feature one Reg Meuross these days…) on Dobro and fiddle player Jackie Oates (2008 BBC2 Folk Awards Nominee) to name just three, ‘Dragonfly’ belongs to one guy really, Reg Meuross. His songs, his stories, his voice, all make this album the one to go for when you want something more out of the music you listen to.

Track Listing:-

1 Fool's Gold
2 Without Love
3 The Sound of Hallelujahs
4 Dragonfly
5 Until I Hold You Once Again
6 Lizzie Loved a Highwayman
7 Valentine
8 And Jesus Wept
9 Singaway
10 Martha Went Down to the Well
11 The Priest
12 Birmingham Hotel
13 William Brewster Dreams of America
14 I'll Fly Away

Band Links:-

https://www.facebook.com/RegMeurossMus
http://www.regmeuross.com/
https://twitter.com/regmeuross

Label Links:-

http://www.propermusic.com/label/Hatso