B.R. Lively - Into the Blue

  by Steve Kinrade

published: 10 / 12 / 2018

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PR guys and girls who read my reviews of their latest charges releases will instinctively acknowledge that I don’t just regurgitate the (sometimes) badly photocopied statement of artistic intent that comes, rubberband attached, with the CD. And as 'PR Monkey' for my own label, I know that it is with mixed emotions, when I read on websites a complete copy and paste of my finely crafted album analysis. The real kicker comes when the 'Journo' messages me to ask did I enjoy their review! Is there a patron saint of plagiarism? Or brass neck cheek? BR Lively is an artist that again I haven’t been acquainted with previously. And that’s the joy of writing for Pennyblackmusic, - you just don’t know what your Editor will send you. Life is like a well secured Jiffy bag,and forget the chocolates. Christmas came early when this dropped through the door, and I can see this being on many a Santa to purchase list. 'Into the Blue' is again an example of an album that just creeps up on you. It is in someways calm and unobtrusive, but persistent and substantial. And that is jointly down to the quality of the compositions, and the quality of the Gordon Quist production, which both serve as a constant prompt to discover more. Production, however can only go so far, a lily can't be gilded. Check out the sublime 'Summertime Sky' on the album, and then head over to his acoustic version on YouTube to see the foundations of a great song. It’s top notch song-smithery, with the line “We’ll just wait for the rain to wash away what we left behind” hitting a philosophical bullseye, especially when your salad days are behind you. A simple “One, Two, Three, Four” ushers in 'The Blue', intense and intimate, which echoes Mick and Keef's 'You Can’t Always Get What You Want'. Yeah, don’t we know. Lively’s voice has a cool, languid quality to it, seemingly on a level, emotionally speaking. It’s like your lover whispering in your ear...”Don’t Worry, its all going to be cool”, and you just know it will be.'Are We In It For The Gold' has an utterly superb, heart stopping string line, and the arrangement is both ultra sympathetic to the song, as well as enhances it. There are stand-out tracks a plenty, such as songs like 'Oh These Eyes, 'Fighters'and 'Gratitude'. The latter is a lovely, well delivered lyric, emotionally intuitive, the banjo acting as a poignant counterpoint to the sentiments Lively sings. This is Lively as Everyman, as we are all thankful for the love we receive. This is a great album. Buy the physical, and support this Artist, as well as all the others whose artistic inspiration aims to make our lives that little bit better.

Track Listing:-

1 The Blue
2 Summertime Sky
3 Oh These Eyes
4 Lonesome
5 Are We in It for the Gold?
6 The Day That I Die
7 Minute by Minute
8 Fighters
9 Coyote
10 Free Of
11 Gratitude

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