An extensive boxset covering her recordings from 2008 to 2015, allowing us to either explore or complete what is in effect the ‘middle period’ of her artistic output to date, albeit with one exception, but more of that later. What is striking about this as a single artist collection is the diversity within the 7CDs. What does unify the project is the quality, from the material, varied though it may be, and of course the performances.
The package, another Cherry Red collection, also contains sleeve notes that takes us through each of the albums with commentary and therefore insight from Thea herself.
First up is ‘Lifejacker,‘ marking a transition to self-reliance, recorded in a small home studio and featuring found objects as instruments – there is both urgency and experimentation in all aspects of the performance, reflecting her personal circumstances as well as the physical location. The bonus tracks spread throughout the set are never less than welcome and on this disc include her surprise cover of ‘You Spin Me Right Round (Like a Record, Baby)’– though as with later examples, it owes everything to her musical personality rather than a slavish copy of the original.
Next up, we have the live album ‘Recorded Delivery’ which also demonstrates transition – in this instance from the acoustic first half of the album to the powerfully electric, band driven conclusion, which gives expression to the fierceness she admits is a significant part of her personality – the version of ‘My Own Private Riot’ proving to be just that, with some fabulously nasty guitar, certainly more Neil Young than Bob Dylan.
CD 3 is something of a curiosity. ‘Strange Communion’ is Thea’s Christmas album and if the mere thought fills you with dread, then fear not, this is a schmaltz free zone, reflecting a love of the spirit of the season, with songs that bear repeated listens. There’s even a cover of Yoko Ono’s ‘ Listen The Snow Is Falling,’ a brave act prompted by The Waterboys’ Mike Scott, and an atmospheric delight.
Although the sleeve notes refer to ‘Murphy’s Heart’ as perhaps more favoured lyrically than musically, those might be the feelings of the artist, and presumably the listener is allowed to disagree – though given the spikiness of some of the words, aimed it seems at targets both specifically and generally, it may be unwise to raise her ire! Across the album there are nods towards an occasional country feel and it is noticeable percussive, ‘Jazz Hands’ being both an example of this, and also of her fierce independence, her insistence on it being included against the advice of the record company being vindicated by its subsequent popularity with listeners.
If the Christmas album is a curiosity, then CD 5 is an adventure, being her reimagining of the whole of the ‘John Wesley Harding’ album. The lyrics throughout are undoubtably Dylan’s but the interpretation and delivery are pure Gilmore, best evidenced by the versions of the classics ‘All Along The Watchtower’ / ‘I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight’ – this is a labour of both love and admiration rather than a set of covers and makes for both fascinating and enjoyable listening, perhaps setting something of a tone for her later album that provided musical development for the words of Sandy Denny. Although from the same period, sadly, it is not included here.
As a multi-album selection from an artist with an established pedigree, one might have expected a degree of consistency of style, sound and delivery (other than the high quality) across the discs and it would certainly make the reviewer’s task that little easier to summarise and describe. So ‘Regardless’ would have to be the choice to persuade a Gilmore novice as to why they would benefit from exploring the remainder of the collection. That said, there is a departure in that the original release is bolstered by bonus additions in the form of instrumental versions of earlier tracks – so a little something for those of us already convinced.
As with the live album, ‘Ghosts and Graffiti’ sees some revisiting of material from earlier phases of her career, a representation of both her development, ongoing inventiveness and exploration – she deserves many laurels, but whatever else, we can rest assured she will not be resting on them. Apparently the idea to revisit all songs and to do them better came not from Taylor Swift but was inspired by Ani DiFranco and as the final CD in the collection, then nothing illustrates the difficulty in summarising a breadth of work like this than the fact that the collaborations on this album include Joan Baez, The Waterboys’ Mike, Scott, and John Cooper Clarke. Find me a category for that and you’ll get somewhere near the scope covered by this set.
Binge listen or dip in and out to selected albums according to your mood. Enjoy the insights provided by the accompanying booklet, then ready yourself for whatever comes next! However you approach it, you are looking at several hours well spent – even before you repeat the experience.
Damian Liptrot.
www.cherryred.co.uk
