Anthony Reynolds - A Painter's Life

  by Steve Kinrade

published: 21 / 9 / 2019

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Review

I have always liked the idea of the under-dog. The person who looks like they don’t fit in, but turns out to be something special; for instance, the young footballer with the crappy boots who is the man of the match - more Freeman, Hardy and Willis than Adidas. And having not been an Anthony Reynolds connoisseur, I instantly warmed to him when his latest artistic statement was presented to me in a polythene CD cover, with the press release in point 9 font thrown on it, as if like an afterthought before it joined the rest of the postage pile. This artist deserves - no demands, better. Especially after you have checked out his fantastic YouTube advertisement for this record…”songs about trains…..songs about dead artists” - all he needed was to add the Pearl and Dean music…. But this man is indeed a true artist: signed to cool indie-label Too Pure and recognised by the mighty Warner Chappell for his song-writing abilities, he has released numerous albums, written biographies, produced, written and collaborated with many a fellow artist, even sang with the Moscow Philharmonic. And all this achievement merits is a slapped on sticky post-it note of a press release, on a purplish plastic cd cover? Leonard Cohen must be weeping for his biographer. But after this inauspicious start, we move from Hades to Mount Olympus, from darkness to light. The opening track 'I Was Born' has the delightful juxtaposition of sixties spy thriller soundtrack with the factual details of the artist's birth - “…delivered by the NHS.” The lyrics are factual, funny and arch, just what you would expect from a master words-smith. When Reynolds opens up his vocal cords a rich baritone pleasantly unveils itself. The production is fantastic, and with willing collaborators of the ilk of Rob Dean, Fiona Brice and Carl Bevan, this is a tremendous album that you need - must - seek out. 'A Painter's Life' is idiosyncratic, warm, funny and tender. A set of musical compositions to cherish. Rocket Girl Records have a true Maestro in their midst. It’s about time that the rest of the world knew it about it also. After all, I just have

Track Listing:-

1 I was Born
2 Tidal Sidings
3 Have You Heard From Her Lately?
4 Basquiat in Exile
5 A Painter's Life
6 Yves Saint Laurent
7 My Hometown
8 A Small Spit Of Land
9 I'm Dying (To Be Born Again)
10 Welsh in Parenthesis

Band Links:-

http://www.anthonyreynolds.net/
http://anthonyreynolds.bandcamp.com/
http://www.pledgemusic.com/artists/ant
https://twitter.com/AJFReynolds

Label Links:-

https://www.facebook.com/RocketGirlRec
http://www.rocketgirl.co.uk/
https://twitter.com/rocketgirlmusic