Anne Richmond Boston – I Should Be Happy
For those not familiar with Kentucky-born Anne Richmond Boston or the Swimming Pool Q’s (5 LPs) – it’s a good time to allow the curious to catch up with her melodic & edgy repertoire. For those who know, it will be a delightful reintroduction.
This is Anne’s 2nd solo LP since 1990’s The Big House of Time. It had the jangly pop of the infectious “Dreaming,” sung in Anne’s rich, satiny smooth tone. Anne possesses one of the most beautiful voices in rock music (“Speedboat’s Wake”). The songs were skillfully arranged. Anne could’ve easily been a wise choice of vocalist had Christine McVie or Stevie Nicks left Fleetwood Mac. A cover of John Sebastian’s “Darling Be Home Soon” is an example & “Lately,” with her sincere, warm voice & Patti Smith edginess. “You can’t put your arms around a memory…”
But to focus on her new work, 35 years later, with 14 new tracks produced by Rob Gal (guitar/bass/keys/bgv/crickets/slide guitar/percussion), I Should Be Happy (Dropped Nov 14/DB Records), has Anne Richmond Boston’s (keys/xylophone) melodic thrust. The majority are well-written & recorded. “Give In” has a salient REM texture, but Anne’s signature voice blossoms above all comparisons. Some have folky tints, but Anne’s intonation, phrasing & range carry her exuberance & sensitivity. Anne’s more mature voice (“Torn Apart”) has moments of depth not evident on old Q songs. Superb singing.
“Dark Room” is a descriptive lyric — played well, with dynamic guitars & drums. More in a fluid, indulging Swimming Pool Q’s style. “You Planned It,” (not available on all formats), is invigoratingly good. The delicate “Gone” prevails in a John Hiatt-type accordion/mandolin structure. The most Americana-rootsy dive comes in “First Light” despite the vocal effects for presence. The slide guitar adds to the rustic additives. Impressive.
A return to the jangly guitar & upbeat drums is “Amazing.” Creativity can be hard, originality even more difficult, imagination…that’s the challenge. But it’s here. And it surfaces again in the fiery Hendrix cover “The Wind Cries Mary,” which is amazing. Anne sang distinctive songs with the Q’s, as she does now — like the resplendent “Silver Slippers” & the imaginative “Now I’m Thinking About Now.”
I welcome Anne back…I’ll even put up a pot of tea with lemon & bourbon. Gotta keep her singing.
Highlights – “I Should Be Happy,” “Give In,” “Dark Room,” “You Planned It,” “Gone,” “Speedboat’s Wake,” “Torn Apart,” “First Light,” “Amazing” & “The Wind Cries Mary.”
Musicians – John Cerreta (keys), Dirk Dominick, Billy Conway & David Henderson (drums), Michael Lorant (drums/accordion/bgv), Bob Elsey (guitar/mandolin), William Tonks (guitar/dobro), Barry Sell (bass/acoustic & electric guitars/mandolin), Brad Quinn, Eric Weissinger & Gary Brown (bass), David Barbe & Terry Adams (piano), McKendrick Bearden (piano/guitar), Marti Jones & Syd Straw (harmonies).
Color image courtesy of Jason Thrasher. CD @ Bandcamp + https://annerichmondboston.com/ & http://www.swimmingpoolqs.com/