Catching Mark Eitzel at St. Pancras Old Church last year, just him and acoustic guitar, running through songs old and new, I much expected the new album to be just that, the man and his guitar.
The ten songs on 'Hey Mr Ferryman', are full band, orchestra and backing singers mode. It’s an absolute gem. A wordsmith for now quite a few generations (if they listen), these are songs of love, relationships and the pain and anguish that goes with all that, as you would expect.
Side A starts with ‘The Last Ten Years’ with it’s uptempo rhythms and a soaring Bernard Butler guitar solo “The Ferryman who takes me to my rest, don’t give a damm who’s cursed or blessed”. The wordsmith is on song!
‘An Answer’ “I Can’t leave you behind, makes me want to stick around and find, if there’s an answer". Soaring vocals and strings.
Mark’s trademark rich vocals, like coated sugar just pull you in. A rainy day outside just enhances the warmth of the record and the pain and darkness of the lyrics enclose you. ‘Nothing and Everything’ is a wonderfully prime example.
There are many stories to soak up in the songs, so give the album your concentration and the rewards come. The record was recorded in London, I guess at the time of our church gig and was produced by Bernard Butler.
Side B starts with ‘In My Role As Professional Singer And Ham’, a despairing view “in the faded glory USA” “ When you look at me, I look away”.
Second track ‘Mr Humphries’ is epic both musically and lyrically. By this time your eyes are closed and you are drifting into the sound of the album, then arrives the rocker, ‘La llorona’ which concludes “Love was all she ever found, the faggot, the junkie, the runaround” plus a scorching guitar solo that ends too soon.
Then it’s back to the heartbreak on ‘Just Because’ “Just because someone loves you, doesn’t mean you can treat them bad”
The gentle acoustic ‘Sleep from my Eyes’ concludes this fine album. With so many musical souls being lost these days, the next in line can really fill the void as really, they always have.
Pete
10/11
