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Richard Shindell – Somewhere Near Paterson
No comments · Posted by Mike Laybourne in Drinking Thinking
It’s funny how you chance upon a song or artist, my journey to Richard Shindell starts with my dad, travels via Radio 2 and ends with Amazon.co.uk. As a teen, I was exposed to High Wire Live by Willy Porter, a stunning live album with several stand out tracks, one of which was You Stay Here, in which Porter’s sublime 12 string playing is accompanied by Martin Barre’s electric meanderings. Hauntingly dark yet stunningly beautiful at the same time, it’s up there in my top songs; I’d even nominate it for the coveted Double Tune status.
Anyway, a few months ago I had Radio 2 on and this very song came on, but not only was Porter not singing, it had violins and other instruments. This did not compute, anyway, after standing stunned for 3 minutes and 59 seconds, I then returned to whatever it was I was doing and promptly forgot all about it. Later on something sparked the memory so after Google, Last.com and finally Amazon.co.uk (my beloved Play.com didn’t have this to download). After some stressful program wrangling with Amazon’s download manager, I’m now in possession of Somewhere Near Paterson.
I think Paterson is in New Jersey, which is where Shindell hails from. Released in 2000, this is his fifth studio album. The album is a pleasant and thought provoking journey, Shindell’s lyrics are very much written from the heart, although the subjects have been pretty much covered before, the stories he tells are both engrossing and easy to relate to. Simple yet phenomenal, you will be recommending this artist.
The album maintains a folk/borderline country feel throughout, opening with more upbeat songs, with the song Spring; it takes a pure folk turn, concentrating on violins more than guitars and drums. Waiting For The Storm picks up the country vibe again and the album nicely mixes all the styles for the last few songs. As much as I could talk about all the tracks at length, I’ve highlighted two superb efforts. The rest are by no means filler, these two just poke their heads slightly higher.
You Stay Here. This is the track that lead me to the album, the reason why I knew that buying it wouldn’t be a mistake and possibly one the best songs ever written. I don’t say that lightly. Essentially a tale of surviving, the images generated by the lyrics are stronger than any book I’ve ever read, even books with pictures. The hauntingly stunning guitar playing on this track maintains a constant tempo which carries you through while other instruments arrive in a perfectly worked arrangement, not too fast, not too slow. It’s easy to see why Willy Porter covered this, he’s possible the only artist who can do this justice. Simply stunning.
Merritt Parkway, 2 AM. When it comes to instrumentals tracks, this is up there with New Order’s Elegia. Very, very simple, there isn’t a complicated riff in to be found yet Shindell is able to create an atmosphere that leaves you transfixed and almost tearful, yet you won’t know how or why. Just like Pixar films are a lesson perfect film making, this song is a lesson perfect arrangement. Everything is balanced. When they make a movie of my life, expect this to be on the soundtrack.
I can’t rate this album high enough, nor can I give it a grade, it transgresses such things. Expect to be changed.
Do buy this album if…
You want to spend an hour away from the world.
You like REM but find them a bit weird and questionable at times.
You’ve got some very good ales in the fridge.
Don’t buy this album if…
You refer to guitar riffs as ‘shreds’.
Violins scare you.
You have stuff to be getting on with and want some background music. This will take precedence.
Track listing.
- Confession
- Abuelita
- You Stay Here
- My Love Will Follow You
- Spring
- Wisteria
- Waiting For The Storm
- The Grocer’s Broom
- Merritt Parkway, 2 AM
- Transit
- Calling The Moon
Facts and stats from Last.com
album · Music · Richard Shindell
