Author: Jernej Vene
Artist: Keith Reid Project, The
Label: Rockville Records
Release: 2008
Britain’s Keith Reid co-founded Procol Harum with Gary Brooker in 1967. Together they churned out a heap of hits, the best known of course being A Whiter Shade Of Pale. Reid was the man behind the brilliant lyrics, never playing an instrument in the band, but he was highly respected precisely for the sharpness and honesty of his words. This year he finally made good on his wish to record, or rather put together and polish, a collection of songs aimed at a wider audience. On the album The Common Thread, Reid gathered a roster of famous collaborators who either contributed new recordings or allowed the use of songs already out there. It’s a proven crew, but with the years no longer exactly young, they’ve ended up working on a record released by a smaller German label. All the better, in a way, because real fans know how to appreciate honest work and an honest, unspoiled attitude from the artists. You find less and less of that at the multinationals these days. The thirteen tracks on the album form an interesting body of different moods, thanks to impressive contributions from the composers and above all from the various singers. Keith Reid is present throughout the record as the author of all the lyrics, and with a few exceptions, each of the guests sings two songs. The Common Thread features plenty of Reid’s star collaborators. John Waite, known from Babys and Bad English and best of all for his solo hit Missing you, sings the opening track In god’s shadow. You’re the Voice is presented by its co-writer, singer Chris Thompson, who recorded it back in 1986 and whose version is supposedly being released here for the first time. That claim doesn’t hold up, since Thompson already put this version out on his hits compilation Backtrack 1980 – 1994. Australian singer John Farnham had the most success with a cover of this song, and sound aside, the two versions differ only in the lead instrument: on Thompson’s it’s bass guitar, on Farnham’s it’s Irish bagpipes. On The Common Thread, the wildly varied musical structures sketch out interesting feelings through sheer sonic polish. Together with the composers, Keith Reid tried to find the voices best suited to bring out the atmosphere of each song. His songs range from pop through light blues and R.E.M.-style Americana to flamenco and authentic British folk. Despite the mix of styles, it’s precisely the different voices that give the record its variety and liveliness. In his lyrics Reid subtly skewers human stupidity, especially in The Only Monkey, which Chaz Jankel plays out in his own parodic way. We know he was a collaborator of the late Ian Dury in the Blockheads, so there’s no need to explain how he went about it. The lyrics say that man is the only monkey that locks other animals in cages, which tells us how Keith Reid sees humanity abusing its dominance on Earth. American rocker Southside Johnny, whom Jon Bon Jovi cites as the reason he got into singing, is convincing on the bluesy title track. Steve Booker, currently riding high as co-writer on several songs on the debut by Welsh singer Duffy, also makes a welcome contribution, and it’s a joy to hear veteran Terry Reid on Too Close to Call.
Keith Reid’s The Common Thread is no concept album, just a thoughtfully assembled collection of songs gathered through keen observation of the world around him over a good two decades. Reid also can’t help being optimistic, almost idealistic, when searching for answers to the world’s delusions and deluded. Remember, he was young in the 1960s, a decade that still stirred up one kind of hope or another for a better future. Judging by some of the words pressed into the music of The Common Thread, we’ll have to keep waiting for an effective fix for our planet and its inhabitants.
Lineup
John Waite – vocals
Chris Thompson – vocals
Michael Saxell – vocals
Southside Johnny – vocals
Bernie Shanahan – vocals
Chaz Jankel – vocals
Steve Booker – vocals
Terry Reid – vocals
Anthony Krizan – guitar
Andy Qunta – keyboards
Jeff Golub – guitar
Steve Booker – guitar
Matt Noble – programming
Track list
01. In God’s Shadow (vocals: John Waite)
02. You’re The Voice (vocals: Chris Thompson)
03. The Heartbreak House (vocals: Michael Saxell)
04. A Common Thread (vocals: Southside Johnny)
05. Potters Field (vocals: Bernie Shanahan)
06. Gold Fever (vocals: John Waite)
07. Venus Exploding (vocals: Bernie Shanahan)
08. The Only Monkey (vocals: Chaz Jankel)
09. It Might Be Your Heart (vocals: Chris Thompson)
10. Silver Town (vocals: Steve Booker)
11. Ninety-Nine Degrees In The Shade (vocals: Southside Johnny)
12. Too Close To Call (vocals: Terry Reid)
13. Right About Now (vocals: Steve Booker)
