Wilson, Damian: Thank You

On the very day he turned 50, [Headspace] and ex-Threshold singer Damian Wilson celebrated by releasing Thank You - The Holdsworth Sessions EP, featuring five tracks stripped down to piano, violin, cello and, of course, a quite magnificent voice.

Often when not in a band configuration it’s this type of organic situ in which Wilson finds himself, sometimes working with just a guitar, and sometimes the keyboard work of Adam Wakeman, but even by those standards this is fragile, personal fare. The opening, title track is actually a song of gratitude for the boat that Wilson used to spend a lot of his time on - until ironically it sank on the way to Cropredy Festival not long after the song had been written. But even with that sad outcome it’s a beautiful piece that stays long in the mind.

Broken relationships are the focus of “Let Me Down Slowly�, another song that resides long in the memory as it illustrates the clear, stunning vocals the main man is famed for. Backed on this occasion by a female classical voice and strings, this may be a million miles removed from the prog rock people most readily associate with Damian Wilson but it really is a beautiful piece. “God Be My Judge� brings things even further into the core of the songs, a simple but intricate arrangement allowing all of the elements incorporated to truly shine. With “Until I’m With You� continuing the melancholy mood as it longs for acquaintances now out of reach and, as much of Wilson’s work does, of times now consigned to the past and “Can You Hear Me� proving equally heartfelt, there is a worry that for some this EP may just be a little too downbeat. And yet, a wonderful song is a wonderful song, and considering that all five on this EP from one of Britain’s most under appreciated singers fall easily into that category, the end results of Thank You are never anything less that captivating.

Track Listing
1. Thank You
2. Let Me Down Slowly
3. God Be My Judge
4. Until I’m With You
5. Can You Hear Me

Added: October 12th 2019
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Damian Wilson online
Hits: 982
Language: english

[ Printer Friendly Page ]
[ Send to a Friend ]