Phil McWalter with Valuable Friends - Songs That Mean Something.
By Pete Clemons
As soon as one album hits the player another album is announced. It was only a matter of weeks ago I put together a few words about the album titled 'Valuable Friends'. And now along comes 'Songs That Mean Something'.
This may be the same band as the previous release, well almost, but its certainly not more of the same. The contrast between both albums is stark.
Think The Beatles and their Red and Blue albums. Not in a way that compares the bands and songs. Not that they are chronically ordered in any way. But think of them in a way that emphasises the gulf in difference between both albums.
In the case of The Beatles, The Red Album focus's on their early work and transition into their later sound. The Blue Album covers their their more experimental and mature work.
And on 'Valuable Friends' the blue sleeved album it did have an experimental feel to it. But here, on this the Red coloured album, 'Songs That Mean Something' you have a collection of songs that are immersive experiences and demand your full focus.
The songs are tight, laid back and easy to listen to. They appear to be reflective and personal. While not assaulting you they do, on occasion, make you sit up.
Unlike 'Valuable Friends' - the Blue album, recordings on this, the Red album, have been kept on a more of a tight reign. It does not scatter or radiate. The songs are far more controlled and more structured. They do grab your attention and possess an immediate and undeniable quality, drawing you into Phil's world from the very first notes.
Additionally the album delivers flawless melodies. It is lyrically dense, poetic, and is a deeply personal world-view across a vast collection – 18 songs in total. This is from the heart and soul. The albums opener, 'A Pretty Waterfall', sets the scene and in it's effortless brilliance. And so the album continues.
The seventeen songs that follow on articulate feelings or experiences that few could put into words.
They seem to speak to a part of the human condition, making you feel less alone. As the lyrics sink in, they can reveal new meanings based on where you are in your life, creating a bond that deepens with each listen.
Inside the sleeve, apart from the album itself, is a booklet containing plenty of and a few of the lyrics.
Next, the songs, are they worth listening to? Well, the answer is an unqualified yes. They contain catchy hooks and tremendous words. At times a little ethereal
If these albums ever reach the mainstream, or sell by the bucketful, expect conversations about which is the better between those who made their purchases. Songs really do mean something.
Get the album here on above link.
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