Phil Madeira – Falcon
An opener on an album is rarely a slow ballad. But on this 11-track collection of original songs by Rhode Island’s award-winning singer/pianist Phil Madeira, he hits the ground right out of the starting gate with “Impatience.” It’s bookended by “Lesson of Love,” another ballad at the conclusion. Both are stunning pieces of music.
Phil’s a 20-year veteran of Emmylou Harris’ band The Red Dirt Boys & the reason he’s been around that long is obvious. There’s an abundance of talent, originality & creativity & what the hell, he sings good too. This self-produced Nashville set, Falcon (Drops July 19/Mercyland Records/39:36), is consistent in quality & explores the deep theme of days gone by.
“Working At My Own Pace” is a winner. The average listener would have thought Bruce Springsteen came up with this, but Springsteen didn’t. This beauty has Mr. Madeira spread over its structure & it’s well written, performed & conceived. A rockier entry comes with “If I Ain’t Got You,” with its nice soulfulness & bluesy fueled current. A nice touch. “Needles” has a soulful absorbing groove, more in a Boz Scaggs tradition, & it’s respectfully rendered about addiction & recovery. Old-fashioned organ notes give the tune a gratifying retro feel, but it’s Phil’s vocals that are the compelling attraction. Brooding, intense & funky in the same, uh…vein (no pun intended).
Early 20th Century jazz band/burlesque, music hall strains fill “Love Is The Better Way,” – it’s like a showtune that didn’t make a big splash in the day but was always better than the show itself. Phil displays a generous amount of diversity, & his intonation & phrasing are straight out of the Randy Newman songbook. What it lacks is Newman’s bite & wit. But then, that isn’t something that can be taught.
With “King of the Lucky Guys,” Phil almost taps into a J.J. Cale spirit. This is a good song – a little glossy, but it has that sticky appeal of a melting vanilla ice cream cone on a hot summer day. Hard to put down, especially with all the dynamic instrumental sweet sounds that emanate from the speakers. Backup singing bright as the old Van Dyke Parks song “Clang of the Yankee Reaper.” A Southern feel drifts across with the aggressive vocal in all its reunion swagger. Love it.
Highlights – “Impatience,” “Working At My Own Pace,” “If I Ain’t Got You,” “Needles,” “Love Is The Better Way,” “King of the Lucky Guys,” “The Last Thing,” & “Lesson Of Love.”
Musicians – Emmylou Harris’ Red Dirt Boys (Will Kimbrough, Chris Donohue, Bryan Ownings), Matt Slocum of Six Pence None the Richer (cello), Jerry McPherson (electric guitar), & DeMarco Johnson (harmonica).
My CD was a promo copy, but the CD will have a gatefold that includes a 12-page insert with lyrics. Color image of Phil courtesy of his website. CD @ Discogs & https://philmadeira.net/
