Jeremy Spencer - Bend in the Road

  by Lisa Torem

published: 29 / 9 / 2012

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Review

Jeremy Spencer is best known as being an early Fleetwood Mac slide guitarist, before going solo. His album ‘Bend in the Road’ revisits his early influences, such as Elmore James. The album varies in range. ‘Homesick’ leads the way. It is a traditional, blues-soaked escapade written, in fact, by the cousin of James, James Williamson. The British guitarist’s slide sounds mimic a happy-go-lucky baby, who has just finished an evening meal. ‘Cry For Me Baby’ finds Spencer tickling the ivories and covering another James tune. He plays a great counter punch to lead, rhythm and acoustic guitarist Brett Lucas. Their voicings overlap in the same way that Spencer claims Peter Green and Danny Kirwan did in Mac’s genesis. ‘Whispering Field’s is the first instrumental and it has a distinct Grand Ole Opry thrust. It is delightfully simple, yet full of spark. ‘I Walked a Mile’ is based on a Robert Browning poem and the teachings of King Solomon and Jesus – Spencer clearly sets the bar high – but it ends up sounding a whole lot like what Chet Atkins or Hank Williams would pick along to. Lines like “It’s better to go into the house of blues, than the house of mirth” keep the interest high. ‘Earthquake’ was actually written during a seismic revolt, while in Greece, but the actual song is much more mild than anticipated. There is a sizable amount of style, however. ‘Aphrodite’ is another instrumental, which recalls Greek goddesses. ‘Secret Sorrow’ is based on a Henry Wadsworth quote. But after some heavy, literary referencing, Spencer goes back to basics. ‘Stranger Blues’ is Elmore James, this time pumped full of steroids. There is more roots material on ‘Homework,’ which was written by Otis Rush: “The way you got me loving you/I can’t do my homework anymore…” One of the more uplifting songs is the marine inspired ‘Desired Haven.’After a decade spent by the North East coast as a child, Spencer felt compelled to create this tribute, which features piano. ‘Refugee’ is a hybrid of jazz, fusion and rock, which reveals Spencer’s apocalyptic edge: “The night is falling, skies turning grey/Here in a country we can not stay.” Originally it was entitled ‘Flee,’ and it was on a 1978 Atlantic Label album until he decided those words had to be refined. Spencer loosely bases the last song, ‘Bend in the Road,’ on a poem by Praveen. And so Spencer ends the album on a truly positive note, while sharing with us a tremendous bounty of styles.

Track Listing:-

1 Homesick
2 Cry For Me Baby
3 Whispering Fields
4 I Walked A Mile With Sorrow
5 Earthquake
6 Aphrodite
7 Secret Sorrow
8 Stranger Blues
9 Homework
10 Desired Haven
11 Come to Me
12 Merciful Sea
13 Refugees
14 Bend in the Road

Band Links:-

https://www.facebook.com/thejeremyspen
http://www.jeremyspencer.com/
https://twitter.com/Jeremy_Spencer_

Label Links:-

http://www.propelz.com/