Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *
The artist who can appeal to all ages and all tastes is quite rightfully to be lauded, revered for their generous influence, the mark of the person involved is not just one who sees their art progress but evolve, so that they capture the heart of the child, and then the imagination of the adult in later years; the spanning of time creating an oasis of beauty that never seems to fade, never runs out of charm and sheer depth of skill.
Mike Batt’s name is synonymous with excellence, a composer of the ethereal, of the surreal, and quite often of the unexpected, and in what is, as it stands, a fitting retrospect of a life’s work, so the listener becomes more acquainted with the man himself.
By a man’s work shall you know him…and whilst the listener never truly will get to know the ins and outs of the artist, the voyeur never understanding the actor’s own psyche and the reader only receiving far off glimpses of the life of the author, there still stands the retrospect, or indeed in the case of the erstwhile Mike Batt and in honour to his prestigious, and prolific, nature, The Penultimate Collection stands as firm guard of honour, a thirty music salute to a person who had spanned several decades and composed some of the most well known and popular hits of the day.
The art of the arranger is often lost or overlooked when the public think of their favourite tracks, yet thankfully even when asked about songs and music ranging from the phenomenon that was Bright Eyes, vocally brought beautifully to life by Art Garfunkel for the film version of Watership Down, the theme tune to the classic children’s television programme The Wombles, or even across pieces such as Children of the Sky, The Closest Thing To Crazy, A Winter’s Tale and Run Like The Wind, nobody can surely dismiss Mr. Batt’s contribution to British music history, nobody forgets his involvement with bringing the joy of learning in children and the acceptance of charisma and appeal of the studious and informative piece appreciated in later life.
Aside from the aforementioned arrangements, the collection raises itself even further in the senses of the music lover with tracks Lady Of The Dawn, Railway Hotel, Into The Sunset, with the majestic Bonnie Tyler, Nine Million Bicycles, the I Feel Like Buddy Holly, Six Days In Berlin (Part One) and the incredible Warsaw all leaving their mark on the soul of the listener, there is no doubt that this particular collection is a sumptuous and welcome, a reminder, if ever one was needed, that we are in fortunate position to have grown with the music, from the wisdom of youth to the perception of later years, we have been nurtured and delightfully indulged by a creative genius.
Mike Batt’s The Penultimate Collection is released on June 26th.
Ian D. Hall