published: 25 /
9 /
2018
Label:
Stockfisch Records
Format: CD
Impressive album of new recordings from his back catalogue from Somerset-based master storyteller and singer-songwriter Reg Meuross on which his songs are given a new lease of life from producer Gunther Pauler
Review
Usually when an artist reworks highpoints of their past work it’s a sign that the creative well is beginning to run a little dry. ‘Reg Meuross’ is a dozen songs plucked from Reg’s not so small back catalogue but be under no illusions; Reg is not just your average singer-songwriter and, as time passes, he shows no signs of having to rely on past glories. Every new album that he releases proves that Reg still has plenty to say and has his own unique way of setting his thoughts in song. So looking down the list of songs featured here it would seem that Reg has selected a bunch of songs for those yet to hear his work. Except he hasn’t and that’s the important thing about this collection.
The songs were suggested by Gunther Pauler, who runs the German independent label Stockfisch Records and who is a respected producer. Stockfisch are one of the few labels still supporting the SACD format. Given that Reg’s albums have all been issued in more than acceptable quality and that, for the most part, his songs are sparsely accompanied tales selecting this format for his songs might seem a little overcooked. Wrong again. The CD is a hybrid; it will play the CD layer on any standard CD player but to get the full benefit of SACD sound a SACD player is required. And the sound, warm and inviting, is absolutely stunning adding a new dimension to these songs for those who have the originals. Pauler set himself an almost impossible task, selecting just twelve songs from Reg’s vast back catalogue, but it’s an inspired selection covering most of Reg’s albums, and, although we could all put forward songs we would have liked to see on this collection, we should be grateful that we are given the opportunity to not only hear these fresh reworkings but also to hear them in such stunning sound.
For those yet to hear Reg Meuross, (when it comes to storytellers who immediately draw the listener into their tales he’s still second to none) this is the place to start. A beautifully presented and produced set of songs that represent Reg’s work perfectly and which sound so good in this format. For those who have been appreciative of Reg’s work from the beginning this set is still essential. These are not retreads from an artist trying to recapture past glories; these are fresh, vibrant readings and the result is like hearing the songs for the first time again.
There are three songs from ‘Short Stories’, Reg’s most aptly titled album and one of these opens this collection. ‘Good with His Hands’, in which Reg tells the tale of a son reminiscing about his carpenter father and the breakdown of his marriage, sets the scene for what is to follow perfectly. The verse where Reg recounts the father watering the roses on the day his wife left (“He said this time it’s serious/I think she’s gone for good”) is so vivid in Reg’s vocals it’s a heartbreaking moment. With accompaniment from Ian Melrose on guitar, Lutz Möller on keyboards, Antoine Putz supplying the double bass and haunting backing vocals from Lea Morris, there’s little doubt that there could have been a more appropriate opening song.
The title track of ‘England Green & England Grey’ was apparently one of the songs which prompted Pauler to approach Reg with a view to revisiting some of his songs. With the addition of Jean Kelly’s Irish Harp and Beo Brockhausen’s Autoharp the song, which highlights England’s flaws, is given new life. Again the backing vocals from Lea Morris are hauntingly beautiful.
Even when the music is supplied by just a couple of instruments as on the touching ‘One Way Ticket to Louise’ which reveals the thoughts of a returning lover, the resulting sound is still full and warm. With just Reg and Ian Melrose on guitars and Antoine Putz on bass the result is far from a sparse sound. ‘Jealous’ is another early song given that special Pauler treatment; Reg’s lyrics concerning a broken relationship were affecting anyway but in this setting are even more poignant. And while we’re on the subject of Reg’s love songs, ‘I Need You’ will surely bring a tear to the eye of anyone who has ever loved and lost. And once more, without wishing to take any credit away from any of the talented musicians who took part in this recording it’s those moments where backing vocals from Lea Morris arrive that lift the whole song. They are so affecting.
If you’ve yet to discover Reg Meuross then this collection is the perfect place to start, for those who already own the original versions of these songs then these new readings are still an essential purchase. There are so many other Reg Meuross songs that deserve the new life that Gunther Pauler has given to these twelve songs, maybe a few years down the line Reg will get together once more with all concerned with this release and give us all another treat.
Track Listing:-
1
Good With His Hands
2
The Man In Edward Hopper's Bar
3
England Green & England Grey
4
One Way Ticket To Louise
5
For Sophie (This Beautiful Day)
6
And Jesus Wept
7
The Band Played "Sweet Marie"
8
Looking For Johnnie Ray
9
Jealous
10
I Need You
11
The Shoreline And The Sea
12
Worry No More
Band Links:-
https://www.facebook.com/RegMeurossMus
http://www.regmeuross.com/
https://twitter.com/regmeuross