Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10
It is in the simplicity of music that many battles are fought and won, the everyday alignment of words and images in a harmony that just catches the ear in a motion of peace and the result is that life can viewed as not being so bad; verging on pure, wholesome and more interesting than can be appreciated when revelling in self doubt and unjustified melancholy.
It is a situation to which Mark Harrison excels, the comfortable velvet tones, the clarity of expression and to one in which the texture of Turpentine adds gloss and a flavour in the air. The resin, the polish, the protection offered by the musician makes his latest album feel homely, calm and content, safe in the knowledge that what is ever thrown against it, it will stand resilient and with purpose. Turpentine is the restful with something deep to say but related not as anger but with security in mind.
That is not to say that the words are full of fluff or painted on with cotton wool, they are coated firmly, with one thing at the very centre of their life, a tale well told and charming in its existence.
Mark Harrison finds these musical gems with the same depth of persistence that a diamond hunter might strive in the middle of a dense and unforgiving jungle, the prize of enlightenment and riches can be seen as one and the same thing when viewed with myopic eyes, however when seen with the benefit of open heart, enlightenment is a crown best worn with honour and one that outweighs the mass of all jewels on the Earth.
The album is full of riches; truthful endeavours which shine brightly and which add a strong grip beneath the velvet glove. Tracks such as Black Dog Moan, Hell Of A Story, the fate of The Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek, Next of Kin and Josephina Johnson all serve the musician well and add weight to the growing discography of the man. If riches are measured by what they offer the soul rather than the pockets of the idle then Mark Harrison has hit such a opulent vein that it cannot be kept secret; nor should it be seen as such.
Turpentine is a terrific addition to the continuing story of remarkable story teller, one that is coated and primed with security.
Ian D. Hall