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Wilson, Ray: Song For A Friend
 Almost two decades since Calling All Stations Ray Wilson has been very prolific with several studio live releases (both solo and with Stiltskin) accompanied by regular tours that have revisited his whole career. The first of two new albums he plans to release in 2016, Song for A Friend finds Wilson in sombre and reflective mood with nine originals and a cover of Pink Floyd's 'High Hopes'. With the songs for the most part set to a stark acoustic backdrop and encompassing themes of loss, friendship and broken dreams the former Genesis frontman is very much singing from the heart.
Very much a Storytellers type album the opening track 'Old Book on the Shelf' is set in a bar in Amsterdam, Wilson's raspy yet soulful vocal narrating the tale of a man who is reading through the book of his life so far. The title track is written for a close friend who was unable to cope after a life changing injury and ultimately took his own life. Dark stuff then and yet towards the end of the record there are more optimistic numbers in 'Parallel Souls' and 'Tried and Failed' that suggest an inner peace for the protagonists. The terrific rendition of 'High Hopes' closes the album on a contemplative note with Wilson's melancholic voice perfectly suiting the song and the mood. Wilson has once again proven that he has plenty to offer as a solo artist and the end result is an emotional collection that must rank as one of the high points of his career to date.
01 Old Book On The Shelf
02 Over My Dead Body
03 Cold Light of Day
04 Song For A Friend
05 How Long Is Too Long
06 Not Long Till Springtime
07 Backseat Driving
08 Parallel Souls
09 Tried And Failed
10 High Hopes
Added: August 7th 2016
Reviewer: Dean Pedley
Score: 
Related Link: official site
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Language: english
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Wilson, Ray: Song For A Friend
Posted by Steven Reid, SoT Staff Writer on 2016-08-07 17:48:03
My Score:
Lumbered for many a year with the tag of one-time Stiltskin frontman and the chap who replaced Phil Collins in Genesis, it's a travesty that Scottish singer Ray Wilson isn't simply known as a man who possesses a phenomenal voice. If you don't believe me, sit down and spend some time with the acoustic based Song For A Friend, an album that finds Wilson in reflective mood, as recollections of people past and present that have been loved, left, or lost gently make their presence felt. You may not know names such as Uwe Metzler, Lawrie MacMillan, Kool Lyczek or Ali Ferguson, but along with Wilson's varied guitar work, they make up a band that shine incandescently on every song. A stunning mix helps, the whole album avoiding that all too easy to slip into 'acoustic' pitfall of sounding like it's lacking a certain something. Instead you instantly know that "Song For A Friend", "Old Book On The Shelf" and "Not Long Till Springtime" were always intended to be the way you hear them.
A certain Nir Z (Genesis drummer when Ray was in the band) turns up for "How Long Is Too Long", although oddly its almost lounge jazz feel is the least enticing or energetic approach in sight even with the inclusion of drums, while the almost acoustic reggae of "Tried And Failed" isn't really to my taste, good though it is. A surprising cover of the rather excellent (although it may not be fashionable to suggest so) Glimour era Pink Floyd track "High Hopes" is also dangerous ground. However the manner in which the perils are expertly traversed makes you question why it didn't always sound like this, the arrangement faithful, but re-crafted just enough to feel very different indeed.
Throughout, the Peter Gabriel like but more tuneful rasp of Wilson's voice thrives and even though each and every one of the tracks and performances on Song For A Friend are reason to celebrate, it's Wilson's vocals that continually take the attention. A second album, more electrically based, is due from Wilson within the next few weeks and it's every bit as good as this. In the meantime feast yourself on an acoustic collection that refuses merely to be a diversion, instead being one of the best of its kind.
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