When songwriters with the prowess of Randy Newman, Jackson Browne and the much-missed Warren Zevon reached such a high level of accomplishment, a new release, while hugely anticipated, also brought a sense of anxiety through concerns it might fall short of previous standards.
Gretchen Peters has long since entered the echelons where the finest exponents of song writing can be found, another artist from whom new material receives an optimistic, but guarded welcome due to the fact past excellence may be nigh-on impossible to repeat.
But on her latest album ‘DANCING WITH THE BEAST’ she re-affirms her position as the most compelling and original lyricist around – and from the off dispels any notion her astonishing turn of phrase may not be in the sublime health of old.
Which is not to say ‘Dancing With The Beast‘ is a joyous jaunt through the vagaries of our times – far from it.
For the most part these are dark, often disconcerting songs told largely from the perspective of women who find the odds are stacked against them.
They refuse, however, to give in, irrespective of the cards they have been dealt; the middle-aged woman of ‘Arguing With Ghosts‘ who can no longer connect with the world around her, the frail, fatalistic elderly widow in ‘Disappearing Act‘ and twelve year-old Cora Lee in ‘Wichita‘ who defends her younger sister from the terrible travails she herself has already suffered.
Indeed, ‘Wichita‘ continues a theme Peters began on ‘Independence Day‘ a song which brought renown early in her career, but this is darker and even more vivid. If these were Springsteen songs (and he would be rightfully proud of both) ‘Independence Day‘ would be on ‘Born In The USA,’ while ‘Wichita‘ would feature on ‘The Ghost of Tom Joad,’ the point being her stories have become bleaker and if anything gained in resonance.
‘Wichita‘ along with ‘Truckstop Angel‘ (the narrator of the piece a prostitute with visions of making a flight to redemption) and ‘Love That Makes A Cup Of Tea‘ (another poignant finale in the vein of ‘When You Are Old‘ and ‘Little World‘ that closes the album on a gentle, but uplifting note) were debuted to a British audience at her memorable Union Chapel show in London last November – along with ‘Lowlands‘ which was immediately discernible as a work of considerable potency.
Containing lines such as: ‘I don’t know nobody feeling hopeful, I don’t know a soul who’s sleeping well,‘ it stands as an update of ‘American Tune‘ by Paul Simon for the era of Trump and fake news. Like the very best of her work it paints minute detail on a broad canvas, the cinematic sweep making songs such as ‘Idlewild‘ and ‘Five Minutes‘ from ‘Hello Cruel World‘ and ‘This Used To Be My Town‘ on ‘Halcyon‘ so enthralling, evident once more.
In the booklet accompanying ‘Dancing With The Beast‘ on the page containing the lyrics of ‘Lowlands‘ is a monochrome picture of Gretchen with her eyes closed as if she cannot look in the direction America is going – more than likely a coincidence, but either way song writing does not come anymore engrossing than this.
On this her seventh record (barring duets, compilations and a live album) she once again receives stellar support from Barry Walsh on keyboards while the dobro of Jerry Douglas puts a subtle country nuance into the mix, with the melodies never forced or overstated – on top of which Peters performs what may well be the finest vocal performances of her career, delivering her own words with the purpose and conviction such fine writing deserves.
With a mixture of hope and nervousness I approached this album, willing it to be good on the strength of how impressive the recorded output of Gretchen Peters has been thus far.
Hence any doubt she would not excel once again can be dismissed and while at times not the cheeriest listen, ‘Dancing With The Beast‘ is never anything but utterly compelling.
This article was first published on 1/6/2018.
NEIL SAMBROOK is the author of ‘MONTY’S DOUBLE’ – an acclaimed thriller now available as an Amazon Kindle Book.
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