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Rating:
The operation itself is rather clever and cunning, eight songs in "Sundark" and another eight in "Riverlight"; of course, all sixteen could have easily fit into one album, but in this case, the marketing choices have proven to be appreciable and functional, and they’re based on an artistic foundation: better this than a banal and overabundant best of, "Sundark And Riverlight" is something more captivating and ambitious. 2012, the latest album of good Paddy Wolf was the brilliant and sunny "Lupercalia", for some perhaps even a bit too bright and sunny; I don’t share this view at all, I consider it a great show of maturity, with which he managed to step away from certain clichés that, if not supported by inspiration and sincerity, end up becoming excessively irritating; it was the right moment to stop and take stock of what had been done so far. He takes sixteen songs, divides them into two groups according to the mood, and heads back to the studio to record acoustic versions, without nevertheless giving up that corollary of orchestrations (strings, especially) that constitute one of the most characteristic traits of his style; essentially still nothing new here, yet "Sundark And Riverlight" is without doubt a well-conceived and successful operation. Enjoyable for those who already appreciate him, perfect as a starting point to get to know the most gifted and fascinating songwriter of the new millennium, at least according to me.
It’s pleasing to note that, for the first time in his career, Paddy has finally presented a cover that matches the situation: the previous ones were all either bland or kitsch but not kitsch enough to impress; this one definitely has its charm and reason. As for the rest, being an overview, the qualities expressed are well-known, great voice, incisive and elegant lyrics, excellent songs, and great care and richness in the arrangements, even in this semi-unplugged form. Shadows (Sundark) and lights (Riverlight), that’s the idea, but the distinction isn’t as clear-cut as one might think: each of the two halves has its unequivocal and distinctive episodes that define its character, but also shades and nuances. As for "Sundark," four songs out of eight are practically mandatory choices: "Wind In The Wires", "The Libertine", "Oblivion", and "Hard Times", representing the two darker albums, as well as among the greatest classics (if they can be called such) of his production; even in these versions, they retain their charm and theatrical connotations, particularly "Oblivion" which, without the electronics and vocal effects of the original, loses eccentricity while gaining dramatically in pathos. "Overture" ideally marks the transition to the other half of the work by proposing refined folk with orchestral arrangements, not at all distant from certain episodes of the great Al Stewart, and on this line also steadies "Paris" with its sumptuous chamber-pop, taken from the first album, "Lycanthropy": two songs, already beautiful as they were, further enhanced by more sober and essential robes. "Vulture", on the other hand, is a choice incomprehensible to me: an electronic experiment similar to new wave in the original version, which I consider to be one of the least convincing episodes of Patrick Wolf's entire repertoire, if not the least convincing at all; here it improves slightly but not enough to hold up against the other proposed pieces; a too static and rigid piece, with a dark theatricality that just fails to convince; a "The Gypsy King" would have been the ideal choice for an impeccable lineup, but a mistake can happen.
If in "Sundark" the lion's share (5 out of 8) belonged to the albums "Wind In The Wires" and "The Bachelor", in "Riverlight" the same proportion is divided between "The Magic Position" and, of course, "Lupercalia"; regarding the latter, I would have something to say about the choice of tracks, instead of the appreciable "Bermondsey Street" and "Together" (the latter is perhaps the only episode to clearly lose the comparison with the original) I would have opted for "The City" and "The Future”. "House" however is there, fortunately; a mandatory choice, given that it is one of Paddy's songs to which I am most emotionally attached. All jokes aside, "House", together with "The Magic Position", is the representative song of the happiest, carefree, and exhilarating Patrick Wolf, the "positive" peak of this fine collection, but "Riverlight" is composed mostly of dreamy and reflective atmospheres, often no less immediate, just think of the exciting crescendo of "Bluebells" and "Teignmouth", a goosebump ballad. As in "Sundark", even here the excerpts from "Lycanthropy" define an uncertain borderline, the visionary "Wolf Song" with its ineffable nocturnal sweetness and "London”, which encapsulates the duality of this work: "Sun dark on darker streets, it’s violent times for weary feet, carjackers and bullet showers, a yellow sign, too many fools in power ... But see, I will be gone by morning my dear, London goodnight, forget me, I wash myself in your gray river light".
Another intriguing thing is that "Sundark And Riverlight" remains to this day the last act of Paddy Wolf's career, a career so far absolutely impeccable. Three years have passed since this beautiful collection, four since the last album of new works; I confess a certain suspense, I'm eager to discover his next moves, and I hope not to have to wait too long. No pressure, Paddy, but... No need to further dilly-dally, Patrick Wolf is great: he has a style easily recognizable but with broad horizons, voice, personality, energy, impact, no significant shortcomings. Now I’ll say something "heavy", I’ll shoot big: I see none other than him worthy of taking the baton, of inheriting the throne of ...(omitted)..., it may be that this feeling of mine remains an unfulfilled desire or, worse still, backfires on me, so let's keep things vague, let a bit of mystery hang, but I believe it, Patrick Wolf has already left many clues and demonstrations.
Tracklist and Lyrics
05 The Libertine (00:00)
The motorway won't take a horse.
The wanderer has found a course to follow.
The traveller unpacked his bags for the last time.
The troubadour cut off his hand and now he wants mine,
(Oh, no )
Oh no, not me.
The circus girl fell off her horse, now shes paralysed.
The hitchiker was bound and gagged, raped on the roadside.
The libertine is locked in jail.
The pirate sunk and broke his sail.
But I still have to go,
I've got to go, so here I go,
I'm gonna run the risk of being free.
The magicians secrets all revealed.
And the preachers lies are all concealed.
And all our heroes lack any conviction.
They shout through the bars of cliche and addiction.
So I've got to go,
I've got to go, so here I go
I'm gonna run the risk of being free.
And in this drought of truth and invention, whooever shouts the loudest gets the most attention, so we pass the mic and they've got nothing to say except:
Bow down, bow down, bow down to your god.
Then we hit the floor, and make ourselves and idol to bow before.
Well I can't,
And I won't
Bow down,
Anymore...
No more.
09 Overture (00:00)
It's wonderful what a smile can hide
If the teeth shine bright and it's nice and wide
It's so magical all you can keep inside
And if you bury it deep no one can find a thing, no
So come on now, open wide, open up now
Don't you think it's time
To look back at that boy on his way to school
Such a heavy heart, such a heavy jewel hiding Something that one day he'll sell
But now if no one shows, no one tells a thing, no
So come on love, open wide, open up now
Don't you think it's time
Now after all these years you are at last opening was it
Worth all that war just to win
So caught up in the speed of the days in your sin
Don't forget how the story begins no
Don't forget now
Now I'm seeing all your lovers and enemies
They've been turning their keys so full of need
All trying to see that sure you keep
What makes it shine, what makes it mine
But I don't care, no
Just come on now, open wide, open up now
There's so much love for what you'll find
But what will you find
Now after all these years you are at last opening
Was it worth all that war just to win
If it was can you take me back to where it begins
Come and take me back to where it begins
Come and take me back to where it begins
Come on, open wide and let some light in
Let us in
Let us in
12 The Magic Position (00:00)
So let the people talk
It's Monday morning walk
Right past the fabulous mess we're in
It's gonna be a beautiful day
So do the bluebirds sing
As I take your hand
And you take my kiss
'Cause out of all the people I've known
The places I've been
The songs that I have sung
The wonders I've seen
Now that the dreams are all coming true
Who is the one that leads me on through
It's you
Who puts me in the magic position, darling now
You put me in the magic position
To live, to learn, to love in the major key
The major key
The major key
The major key
And I know how you've hurt
And been dragged through the dirt
But c'mon get back up
It's time to live
And as you give your love to me
I'm gonna keep it carefully
It's deep in the treasure chest, below my breast
'Cause out of all the people I've known
The places I've been
The songs that I have sung
The wonders I've seen
Now that the dreams are all coming true
Who is the one that leads me on through
It's you
Who puts me in the magic position, darling now
You put me in the magic position, darling so
Let me put you in the magic position, darling cause
I'm singing in the, the major key
The major key
The major key
The major key
Let me put you in the...
The major key
14 Bluebells (00:00)
Lucy, remember
The smell of that fall
The fires of fungus
And the rotting leaves
I fell off the wagon
Into your arms
Into this long month of sundays
And you were my husband
My wife, my heroin
Now this is our final December
Now deep in a forest
Losing all though of spring
And nothing can help me remember
And I'm going nowhere fast
A darker day has holed at last
Deep in a dream I set the calmness to spinning
And your love has come too late
Away from the garden gate
Wake me up when the blue bells are ringing
Now that it's over after all that we had
A river runs through the rafters down, down, down
Does it leave me sleeping? Dreaming only of spring
The phone rings out and I remember
But I'm going nowhere fast
A darker day has holed at last
Deep in this dream I set the calmness to spinning
And your love has come too late
Now wave to the garden gate
Wake me up when the blue bells are ringing
Ringing, ringing, ringing
Wanna hear them ringing, my love
Wanna hear them ringing
Ringing...
15 Teignmouth (00:00)
Teignmouth
On the night train
From the city to the south
I saw spirits
Crawl across the river mouth
In skewed ascension
With no destination
Like this lone bachelor in me
This constant yearning
For great love and learning
For the wind to carry me free
So when the birds fly south
I'll Reach up and hold their tails
Pull up and out of here
And bridle the autumn gales
Down to the burning cliffs
To the unrelenting roll
To marry the untold blisses
And anchor this lost soul
From my window
I saw two birds lost at sea
I caught our reflection
In that silent tragedy
But with hope prevailing
I draw galleons sailing
In full sail billowing free
So when the birds fly south
We'll reach up and hold their tails
Pull up and out of here
And bridle the autumn gales
I give you my hand
The fingers unfold
To have and forever hold
To marry the untold blisses
And anchor this lost soul
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