Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10
Why do we try? The pessimists, the eternal cynics who look smugly on and the ones who proclaim to the heavens at every opportunity that what you do is worthless, that you are a constant source of failure and that you should not bother; for those are the ones whose lives are empty, perhaps even dead inside as they have no sense of hope, nowhere to put their own misgivings but in the path of those who see the idea of Chasing Ghosts as a fruitful and passionate pursuit, one that might just cause a following.
To the more than cynical sneer, it is often tempting to put a couple of fingers up in their direction, to point out their feelings of dismissiveness are just the result of anger and discord; yet it is always worth remembering that the more you do something, the more it shouts with pleasure to many others, the easier it becomes to shut them up, to silence them, so that the ghosts you pursued, come back and haunt them for all their days.
For Philip Marino, Chasing Ghosts is more than just trying, it is being superb, it is a declaration to the cynical that his earthy presence is justified, bountiful and honest; he is the candid and trustworthy in a world that teeters on the edge of dishonesty and the often fraudulent, those who want to see nobody succeed because it does not fit their blinkered agenda.
Joining Philip Marino on Chasing Ghosts are Jack Gordon on drums, Louisa Charrington on percussion and backing vocals, Adam Bowers on guitar, keys, bass and backing vocals, Charlie Charlton on bass and David Philips on pedal steel and it is in this backdrop of musical expression that makes the story-telling weaved gently in the album, stand out and take the passion to a creative high.
Why do we try? In songs such as The Way It Goes, In Your Hands, When The Wind Blows, The Road Goes Down and in the track Try, the answer is evident, a sentiment of love, full on friendship that is tender and compassionate to the listener’s ear and soul. We try, we always endeavour to seek out ways of proving to others because to those we take under our wing, those to who look at us for inspiration, deserve our very best and the cynic at the end of the day, is nothing but a spectre with venom in their blood.
A wonderfully produced album, Chasing Ghosts is the manifestation of all that is good about the genre and our lives.
Philip Marino releases Chasing Ghosts on July 27th.
Ian D. Hall