Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *
The setting and the mood are fundamental for art to thrive, the sterile and the beige is of little importance, but the drama of the unexpected, the reflection of the human experience, that is what brings any art to life. The after image of what went Before is crucial, the agility of the artist to focus on the minimal rather than the explosive, critical; and through such passionate intricacy the listener is introduced to the seismic silence that sweeps them off their feet.
We have become attuned to seeing the larger picture, almost slapping ourselves on the back in mutual adoration when we declare ourselves in tune with the necessary, rather than the moment of purity which comes from giving yourself over the introspective and the detail of how to solve the issues in the first place.
The detail is very much at the heart of Boo Hewerdine’s latest album, the incredible virtue of simplicity that makes Before a set of songs immersed in the creative and which brings to fore the beauty of vintage instruments.
Collaborating on the album with the remarkable Gustaf Llunggren, Boo Hewerdine almost strips back the sense of the full flowing river of music to a period in which simplicity is not only essential, it brings out the specifics of Mr. Hewerdine’s insightful lyrics with grace. The century old Dulcitone brings a strange thoughtfulness to the proceedings, a sound of tactile sympathy and consideration and when placed alongside instruments such as the Vibraphone, the Cor Anglais and the Indian Harmonium, what comes across is the dynamic of the infinite, a cause of observation that brings a clarity to the listener’s mind.
Across such pieces as Imaginary Friends, Silhouette, Starlight, Neverland and I Wish I Had Wings, Boo
Hewerdine raises the stakes on the presentation of music, what went before was superb, Before is sublime, a gentle persuasion on the exquisiteness of setting and mood, of detail; in all respects, and against the richness of other work, Before should be considered as Mr. Hewerdine’s finest work to date.
Seemingly simple, fragile and sensitive, it is a hard-hitting set of songs undaunted by the darkness of today’s flimsy world.
Boo Hewerdine releases Before on Friday 6th September.
Boo Hewerdine will be performing at the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall Music Room on October 6th.
Ian D. Hall