Other Reviews

07/04/2009

The Best Of Clive Gregson

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Clive Gregson

Clive Gregson's career doesn't lend itself to easy documentation. With the sort of depth and breath any football manager would be proud of in a squad, the Manchester born singer/songwriter's tenure in the music business has had many proud moments. This eighteen track compilation not only offers an overview but, with a sprinkling of never heard demos and generous sleevenotes, an insight into the process behind his finest numbers.

Originally a founder member of Mancunian rock quartet Any Trouble, Clive went on to make five albums with singer Christine Collister and feature in Richard Thompson's band. Whereas, his fertile solo years, have produced an abundance of consistently acclaimed albums, containing songs that have been covered by the great and the good.

The town in 'I Love This Town' became a lot of towns to a lot of people after it received a makeover from Nanci Griffith. It was a feature of BBC Radio 2's A-list and achieved huge airplay in the States. Here we have the non-album version and template for Nanci's cover. It's a good jumping on point before the album criss-crosses Clive’s career.

'Antidote' was originally cut with, occasional cohorts, Boo Hewerdine and Eddi Reader in Nashville and was returned to for his '01 release, 'Comfort & Joy'. Coupled with the single 'Home Is Where The Heart Is' things start to float towards James Taylor territory. However, before we get too comfy in our assessments, we're flung back to Any Trouble's feisty new wave single for the Stiff Label, 'Trouble With Love'. It's a reminder of his wide-ranging abilities. You want stirring ballads, you got 'em ('Summer Rain' and 'Cornerstone') and stomping pop ('Black Train Coming' and 'Jericho Junction').

A speciality, that must also be savoured, is the lyrical edginess of the anti-love song, 'Camden Town'- 'Well sometimes I still see her with the children in the park, two by different fathers, how the years have left their mark'. Or his stark reminder about the passing of the years, 'There Comes A Time' - 'We only get one life to waste, enjoy it while you can'. Like his peers - Thompson, Difford and Hewerdine - Clive Gregson can produce the melodic goods, as well as put life into perspective; not a simple artform to sustain over almost three decades.

David Kushar

CLIVE GREGSON

Gregson Blog: I Love This Town...I Think!