STEVE FORBERT : THE MAGIC TREE

STEVE FORBERT : THE MAGIC TREE

The Magic Tree (Version No 1)
That'd Be Alright
Carolina Blue Sky Blues
Let's Get High
Tryna Let Go
Lookin' At The River In The Rain
Diamond Sky
Movin' Through America
I Ain't Got Time
The Magic Tree (Version No 2)
Only You (And Nobody Else)
The Music Of The Night

Label : Blue Rose Music

Release Date : September 16, 2018

Length : 40:56

Review (The Rocking Magpie) : Still Squeezing Out Sparks After 40 Years. Bloody Hell! Is it really nearly 40 years since the ‘Little Stevie Orbit’ LP was a fixture on my Panasonic Music Centre? Apparently so. Where does the time go? A lot has happened to both of us since those heady days of our youth; and I guess with the benefit of hindsight that album was a forerunner for what we now know as Alt. Country in many ways; as he and it straddled the razors edge between what was then Soft Rock and Country Rock……or is that just my frazzled memory? Anyway; let’s leap forward to today and The Magic Tree, his 18th studio album, and the first music I’ve heard from him since 1980! Oddly enough Steve still sounds a lot like I’d remembered; although mellower and well-worn around the edges on the title track The Magic Tree, which starts this delightful package. Possibly on the ‘twee’ side of what I normally like from singer-songwriters these days, but I might say it’s even poetic and the melody and raspy harmonica solos certainly save the day, for me. Thankfully things perk up on That’d Be Alright which follows, which still has a sprightly beat but the words in song itself are a lot nearer the benchmark I’d set for a songwriter of Forbert’s standing and years. While his voice comes across as slightly wheezy on a couple of songs, it actually gives the likes of Tryna Let It Go a whole lot more gravitas than if sung by anyone else; especially the opening verse@ “I’ve made my mistakes it’s true, Maybe one and maybe two; Maybe more than quite a few, Need I even say?” The rest of the story kind of writes itself; as Forbert asks Tryna for forgiveness for his ‘Rock & Roll’ lifestyle as he leaves the home they’ve shared. ‘That voice’ is so well suited to Lookin’ At The River in the Rain and the gorgeous Movin’ Through America which both have an American Recording Cash feel to them, as Forbert proves he can still write a song that can squeeze on the heartstrings. As my copy of the album is a basic ‘review copy’ it’s not made clear who is playing the guitar; and I can only presume and hope it’s Steve Forbert himself; as while understated throughout many, many flourishes add a tearful sting to his considerate lyrics. HA! While not quite the guy who played to a packed CBGB’s Stevie can still write and perform a punchy ‘soft Rocker’ as the sad observations in I Ain’t Got Time proves in spades as tight as a drum band kick up a restrained fuss behind him; and yet again he makes that harmonica penetrate even the coldest of hearts. It’s evident in the rye observations and subject matter throughout that Forbert isn’t courting the ‘Youth Market’ as he offers the same reflections on life that effect all of us these days, Only You, and You Alone proving that not just the kids can write a love song to touch the heart of us more mature of years. Which brings me to the finale Music of the Night; which also happens to be the RMHQ Favourite Track here. Not just because of the rolling Honky Tonk piano and Twangtastic guitar fills; but the attention to detail he paints in a story of a man dreaming of returning to his hometown to see out his Golden Days. This album shows a mature songwriter who is secure in his own self and writing and singing songs that will mean as much to the Older Generation; as he used to write for the Younger Generation; which we all used to be.

Review (Country Standard Time) : Particularly if you've been listening to Steve Forbert's music for many years, you're bound to have some fun with his new memoir, "Big City Cat." The book, which lifts its title from that of a track on "Alive on Arrival," his 1978 debut LP, offers lots of commentary on the inspiration for Forbert's songs and the making of his albums. You'll also discover mentions of many of the artists he admires-some predictable (assorted folkies), some rather surprising (Talking Heads, Blondie, The Ramones). Musical references aside, however, this memoir disappoints. You'd have to be quite a fan-or perhaps even a member of Forbert's entourage - to care about all the minutiae here regarding the ups and downs of his relationships with record companies, producers and managers. And don't go looking for the kind of introspection that imbued Springsteen's recent autobiography: there's virtually nothing in this book that sheds light on anything in Forbert's life aside from music. He makes clear that he had a drinking problem for many years, for example, but never suggests why. There's almost no mention in the memoir of his parents or childhood, and his adult milestones come and go with only the briefest of mentions. Typical is the way he talks about his marriage. One minute he's telling us that he fell in love with and wed a woman named Jill and that they had twin boys. The next, he's saying that stress between him and his wife - stress he has not previously even mentioned - "kept getting worse" and then that the marriage was in trouble. But then we learn that he and Jill had another baby. And the next thing we know after that is that he was getting divorced and had a new companion. There's nothing here about what made the marriage work initially and - aside from references to drinking and constant touring - no hint as to why it ultimately failed. Forbert's simultaneously released new album, "The Magic Tree," which he recorded with a group that included his longtime accompanist, guitarist Clay Barnes, is more consistently satisfying and also more emotionally revealing. The CD consists of 12 self-penned tracks, though the final minute of one of them-"Only You (And Nobody Else)"-incorporates a snippet from "Come On in My Kitchen," the blues classic by Robert Johnson. (Also, the sweet, lilting title track appears twice: version one sounds radio-ready while a stripped-down version two seems a bit more like a demo.) Forbert's early albums garnered much of their charm from his youthful exuberance; he sounded excited about love, the freedoms that his age afforded him, and the life that lay ahead: "glad to be so young...glad to be so crazy in my day," he sang on "Goin' Down to Laurel," the opening track on "Alive on Arrival." Forty years and nearly 20 studio albums later, he's still writing fine, tightly constructed songs that benefit from his instantly recognizable vocals and bouncy harmonica fills. But he is no fresh-faced kid these days, and his perspective has changed. These are the songs of a 63-year-old man watching time pass too quickly, looking back, reflecting and sometimes regretting. Not every track hits a bull's-eye. "Movin' Through America," which features no instrumentation other than Forbert's guitar, is musically weak and doesn't have nearly as much to say about its subject as, say, Paul Simon's "America." But the melancholic "Tryna Let It Go," and "Lookin' at the River in the Rain," both of which limn the end of a romantic relationship, are touching and indelible. And catchy, upbeat songs like "Carolina Blue Sky Blues," "The Music of the Night," "Let's Get High," and "I Ain't Got Time" are as instantly likable as such early gems as "Romeo's Tune" and "Song for Katrina." If you're a fan, you'll want this album for its many high points. Forbert may no longer possess all of the exuberance and optimism of youth, but he seems to have replaced any losses in those areas with an equal dose of the wisdom that comes with age. Jeff Burger's website, byjeffburger.com, contains more than four decades' worth of music reviews and commentary. His books include the recently published Dylan on Dylan: Interviews and Encounters as well as Lennon on Lennon: Conversations with John Lennon, Leonard Cohen on Leonard Cohen: Interviews and Encounters, and Springsteen on Springsteen: Interviews, Speeches, and Encounters.

Review (Entertainment Today) : I was first amazed by Steve Forbert when he strode barefoot onstage when I was head of the concert committee at college. I don’t really recall if he was the opener or the headliner. In that his first album had just been released, I assume he was the support act. The fact that I can’t recall the rest of the show is a reflection of how much I have enjoyed Forbert’s music all these many many decades later. His latest release is The Magic Tree, and it is a solid reaffirmation of what makes him such an overlooked gem. His voice remains evocative and compelling, wrapping around his wry lyrics like a warm glove on a crisp fall day. The instrumentation is a vintage and unique blend of folk, Americana and rock. When his harmonica comes sliding in after a chorus, you want to be driving along a smooth road somewhere, where the horizon is inviting and time has slowed down. “Movin’ Through America” is exactly that feeling. Forbert namechecks a few stops along the way, but the pull of the road keeps him in motion. Two versions of the title song are mysteriously evocative. Each of the dozen songs are penned by Forbert, except for the penultimate “Only You (And Nobody Else)” which pulls from Robert Johnson’s earlier work. “That’d be Alright” has been released as the new album’s first single, check it out here. Forbert set out 40 years ago from his hometown in Mississippi. He landed in NYC, and was soon opening for burgeoning bands like the Talking Heads and The Shirts. “Romeo’s Tune” and “Going Down to Laurel” signaled a new voice had arrived. Over the course of 18 albums, marriage, divorce, raising three kids and a recent health scare his perspective evolved. Forbert will release Big City Cat: My Life in Folk Rock next month, and I look forward to reading his chronicles. The new album acts as a sort of parallel soundtrack. The songs evolved from prior demos and previously recorded acoustic renderings. Production by Karl Derfler (who spun the dials for Tom Waits and No Doubt) is sterling. The recordings were made back home in Meridian, as well as in Nashville, NYC, New Jersey and Virginia. Forbert’s peripatetic nature results in an eclectic set of backing musicians, each of whom adds great flavors. Forbert is currently working through a lengthy tour, and I can’t wait to see him again, barefoot or otherwise.