Ed Woltil - Paper Boats

by Malcolm Carter

published: 22 / 3 / 2014

Label: Sunshine Drenchy Records
Format: CD

Stunning second solo album from Florida-based singer-songwriter and former Ditchflowers front man, which draws strong comparisons with Harry Nilsson and Jimmy Webb

Review

We’ve been waiting eagerly for the latest release from Florida’s Sunshine Drenchy label for some time, and in this writer’s mind it was certain to be the collaboration between Ed Woltil from the Ditchflowers and fellow Sunshine Drenchy label-mate Steve Robinson. A track from ‘Cycles’ the album the duo have been working on together, was posted on YouTube as far back as April 2011 and we’ve been hoping ever since… When ‘Cycles’ will finally make an appearance is still uncertain but in the meantime Ed Woltil has, after two albums of exquisite, intelligent pop music with the Ditchflowers, unleashed his solo debut and yet again confirms what a master songwriter he is. On his excellent web site Woltil adds a few comments about each song on ‘Paper Boats’ (along with the lyrics to all the songs that highlight Woltil’s sharp wit and acute observations) that show that he’s obviously a modest chap. While Woltil mentions that a couple of the songs even brought the work of Jimmy Webb and Harry Nilsson to mind when recording them, he’s at pains to point out that he doesn’t consider his talent to come close to those greats. Woltil’s wrong. It’s all too easy and comforting when looking back at the music of our youth to think of it with a warm glow. Like many music lovers of a certain age, I’ve bought the music that shaped my life over and over again. Limited editions, special editions, anniversary editions, USA versions, box sets, I’ve been suckered in and bought the lot. It’s embarrassing how many copies of ‘Pet Sounds’ adorn my walls. How I love the book, EPs and paraphernalia that came with the grossly overpriced latest Small Faces box set, but am utterly disappointed that the actual music isn’t any clearer than on cheaper editions I’ve bought and how the extra tracks obviously don’t match the quality or vision of any of the originally released songs. And how the Harry Nilsson box set confirms that he was a great singer and, at times, an exceptional songwriter, but does that collection really deserve all the acclaim it received? For every ‘Together’ there was a ‘Cuddly Toy’ and there’s not one album where every song is exceptional. I should have been content with the fourteen year-old Camden Deluxe editions that gave better value and just as good sound quality. Which is a long-winded way of saying that Woltil, with these 13 songs, has delivered the album that we thought our childhood heroes had made all those years ago. Woltil is no doubt going to get tired at some point that ‘Paper Boats’ is forever going to be compared to the work of Webb, Nilsson and even Randy Newman. It can’t be denied, however, that even those who only have a little knowledge of the above songwriters will hear those artists in Woltil’s songs, but the fact is that ‘Paper Boats’ doesn’t have a dull or duff song on it. With all the glowing reviews the Nilsson box set garnered last year I wasn’t the only one looking at the past through those rose coloured specs. Sure, there were moments of brilliance but it wasn’t as I remembered it. No one particular album was perfect. ‘Paper Boats’ is the album that Harry Nilsson had made in my mind backed by the Beatles, the one where every song is a little gem and where every lyric mattered and either raised a smile, a knowing nod or had my eyes filling up for various reasons. ‘Paper Boats’ is, quite simply, a perfect pop album. Woltil’s no overnight sensation. He started out with Tampa Bay trio Mad For Electra back in the 1980s, before making those two critically-acclaimed albums with the Ditchflowers so he’s had time to hone his craft. Without wishing to take anything away from his excellent past work, ‘Paper Boats’ has to rate as the best album Woltil has released so far. While ‘Paper Boats’ is certainly the album where Woltil’s influences shine through even more strongly than before and it’s hardly a million miles away from his previous work, the album as a whole sounds so fresh. Maybe working alone (Woltil takes all vocals and plays all the instruments on the album. He even recorded and mixed at least half of the album himself, with Steve Connelly and Brian Merrill both having a hand in recording some of the other songs) spurred Woltil to take more risks. ‘The Shortest Distance (Between Two Hearts)’ is the first time Woltil has shown his love for 60’s soul in such an obvious way. For an artist who is best known for catchy, quality pop music it comes as something of a surprise when this smouldering slab of southern soul / R&B suddenly makes an appearance in the latter part of the album. Coming just a couple of songs after ‘The One And Only Anderson’, which, despite being an ode to his dog, never once touches the sickly-sweet button, it’s proof that Woltil can shoot off in other directions musically and still get it more than right. ‘Open’ is the most intriguing song on the album, more experimental than any other track here, drenched in weird yet wonderful sounds. It started life, apparently, as an attempt at a soundtrack for a remake of ‘The Prisoner’, but has developed into almost four minutes of some of the most compelling music heard for some time coupled with what must rate as one of Woltil’s most impressive vocal performances so far. ‘Open’ is one of those songs that you just have to return to again and again. While it’s not over-produced or cluttered in any way, there’s so much to take in and discover each time; a remarkable piece of music. ‘One in a Row’ is another song that displays a side to Woltil that has rarely surfaced on the albums he has worked on. Displaying a bluesy vibe, (like another song here, ‘Someone Else’s Life) it’s another surprise from this master of melody. By opening the album with ‘Algebra’, a typical, jaunty Woltil tune accompanied by his trademark sharp and witty lyrics, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the rest of ‘Paper Boats’ was going to follow much the same path, especially given that the following song. ‘Random Access Memory’ is another pure pop gem with lines like “ a quarrel from years ago still rattling round my head, but I can’t for the life of me remember what you just said” boasting an irresistible melody. It’s what makes the inclusion of songs such as ‘The Shortest Distance’ and ‘One in a Row’ so surprising yet so refreshing. ‘Paper Boats’ proves that even though Woltil doesn’t try to hide his influences he is up there with his heroes even though he is too modest to accept that. The fact that he has produced an album where the quality doesn’t dip for a second makes ‘Paper Boats’ one of the most fascinating and enjoyable albums of 2014 so far. Once in a while an album comes along that, even though you had great expectations for it due to the artists past accomplishments, leaves you almost breathless because it brings together all that we love and have loved in music, ‘Paper Boats’ is one such album. Now, c’mon Woltil, finish ‘Cycles’, and make 2014 the year you make those ‘best of’ end of year lists twice.

Track Listing:-

1 Algebra
2 Random Access Memory
3 Hiding in Plain Sight
4 If Somebody Loved Me
5 Someone Else's Life
6 Illinois Sunset
7 The One and Only Anderson
8 The One and Only Anderson
9 The Shortest Distance (Between Two
10 One in a Row
11 Foul Weather Friends
12 Boys
13 Dance With Me One More Time