Dodson and Fogg - Reflections

  by Malcolm Carter

published: 7 / 1 / 2023

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Review

We heard that Chris Wade was going to take a break, maybe for some time, after his last Dodson & Fogg album to concentrate on writing more books and maybe making more of his surreal short films. If that was the case we couldn’t have complained. Wade has probably released more albums in the last decade since we first heard his music than those artists who have been around for many decades. Plus, his passion for writing books and producing films shines through in his work on those projects so who could deny Wade a break from recording music? He would be missed though; we are used to hearing a new Dodson & Fogg album at very regular intervals and although he has developed his own unique musical identity with each album Wade offered up something new with each album. The last Dodson & Fogg album was ‘The Sea Of The Night’ which was a predominantly instrument set interspersed with spoken-word pieces. If it was to be Wade’s last album for a while he was going out in style. Thankfully there seems to be a change of mind; ‘Reflections’ is a short set of nine pieces with a running time of less than half-an-hour. Being as it is, which is classic Chris Wade, it’s far too short then but we are thankful that Wade has put this out. It shows that he hasn’t turned his back on music just yet. Let’s hope he never will. Wade’s music has always been about taking a journey. Even when he mixes spoken-word pieces in between his music as he so brilliantly did on ‘The Sea Of The Night’, you find yourself immersed in his words. But it was his music that first introduced us to Wade and although his books and film work are always fascinating the thrill of hearing new music under his Dodson & Fogg banner always excites. And those journeys haven’t stopped. Strangely the early Dodson & Fogg albums always found this writer floating down an imaginary river or walking through fascinating yet scary woods taking in all the mysteries hiding behind each clump of tress. Here we have ‘Reflections’ surely made for such journeys. There’s even snatches of birdsong and running steams to add to the atmosphere. Having a relatively short playing time one wonders if Wade was inspired to make this unexpected return to music from having a wander alongside a stream or in a darkened forest during these darker autumn times. Certainly the title of the collection gives indication of this. Of the nine tracks, two are instrumentals, of those the title track conveys just what the title suggests, Wade’s Spanish-style guitar playing follows the opening sounds of a running stream; it’s a lovely, soothing piece showcasing just why we have always regarded Wade as one of our most underrated guitar players. The second instrumental, ‘Growing Tall’, has a country vibe and is a more uplifting ( no pun intended) upbeat tune while still retaining that wandering through a forest feeling. ‘Not Together’ is a spoken-word piece, one of Wade’s poems read by Italian actress/model Valeria Cavalli. As usual with Wade’s poetry it’s a fascinating listen. ‘The Dead Tree’ is the second poem on ‘Reflections’, this one read by Nigel Planer , a regular contributor to Wade’s work. A lone man wandering through the park discovering a fallen, dead tree; Wade’s description is compelling, as are his thoughts on what it will become once the men in hi-vis jackets move in; Planer, as usual, brings the poem to life. That leaves five tracks where we get to hear Wade’s vocals which we missed on his last Dodson & Fogg outing. ‘And The Water Flows (After All)’ not only features Wade’s instantly recognisable laid-back vocals but also features his electric guitar work again. highlighting just how talented this multi-musician is. Pointing out that mother nature is going to outlast us all it’s lyrically fitting for this album. ‘Somewhere’ is perfect wandering music; Wade’s dreamy vocals as warm as the winter coat wrapped around you as you walk through the woods. Again, his guitar playing is breathtaking and the shifts in the sound of his voice are particularly effective. The album closes with ‘The Long Walk Home’, Wade strolling through the empty streets after his journey in the wilderness, plastic bags blowing in the wind, reflecting on his journey; it’s a perfect end to one of the most satisfying, relaxing albums of 2022, his electric guitar contributions setting the mood for the less tranquil times ahead maybe.

Track Listing:-

1 Reflections
2 And the Water Flows (After All)
3 Somewhere
4 Growing Tall
5 The Night That Never Ended
6 Not Together
7 Welcome Home
8 The Dead Tree
9 The Walk Home

Band Links:-

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dodson-
https://twitter.com/dodsonandfogg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodson_an
https://wisdomtwinsbooks.bandcamp.com/
http://wisdomtwinsbooks.weebly.com/dod

Label Links:-

http://wisdomtwinsbooks.weebly.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dodson-
http://wisdomtwinsbooks.weebly.com/dod
https://twitter.com/dodsonandfogg
https://www.youtube.com/user/sofaguard