release date: May 20, 2022
format: digital (11 x File, FLAC)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,60]
producer: Grant-Lee Phillips
label: Yep Roc - nationality: USA
Track highlights: 3. "Peace Is a Delicate Thing" - 4. "All That You Can Dream" - 5. "Rats in a Barrel" (acoustic live performance) - 8. "You Can't Hide" - 9. "My Eyes Have Seen" - 10. "Remember This" - 11. "All by Heart"
11th studio album by Grant-Lee Phillips following 20 months after Lightning, Show Us Your Stuff (Sep. 2020). Phillips has long time ago taken hold of his own music management including the release of his music on his own label, and that is usually something that echoes into the music from artists who works in this controlled manner. Grant-Lee has also found his own expression, which stays close to a preferred path and in the case of this newest outing, it's almost like the sequel to his 2020 album. That doesn't make it a lesser album because it implies worked-through compositions where lesser is more in terms of arrangements and accompanying musicians - things just add up as meaningful music. Grant-Lee performs as a multi-instrumentalist, which of course makes the recordings an easier process, and he has teamed up with a few recurring instrumentalists, which count Eric Heywood on pedal steel and guitarist, Jennifer Condos on bass and with Jay Bellerose on drums, who all played on Phillips' 2020 album.
Despite a narrow field of instruments, it never feels uninspiring nor repetitious, and that's some sign of craftmanship, which proves his worth as composer as well as arranger. Also the mixing and production has the traits of live recordings in the studio, where you sense a presence of the vocalist and of the strumming of a guitar.
I like it, it's good. It's not one of his top 3 albums but it's a collection reaking of genuine quality.
Btw.: the front is a painting by Grant-Lee Phillips, who also happens to enjoy painting landscapes (with this a an exception).
[ allmusic.com, Uncut, Classic Rock 3,5 / 5, Mojo 4 / 5 stars ]
