Subject: Review: Ordinary Heroes by George Papavgeris
From:
alanabit
Date: 30 Sep 05 - 09:39 AM
"Ordinary Heroes", by George Papavgeris, is a powerful statement of intent by one of Britain's finest songwriters. I had only previously heard "Silent Majority", another fine piece of work, but this album is an improvement on even that.
Three of the best songs from the earlier album have been re-recorded and enhanced on this album, which is more richly textured, with additional instruments and voices. The simplicity remains however, so at no stage is it overplayed or over produced. The vocals are generally more assured and the song writing has actually improved. I had felt on the previous album that there was a slight tendency to allow too much poetic licence to the syntax and grammar to fit lines into songs. There is no trace of that here. Even the most striking lines sound natural.
Listening to the cheerful opener, "Friends Like These", I thought, "He can't keep this standard up for long". I was wrong. The stunning "Empty Handed", which tells of the misery of a hard working man returning home with nothing for his efforts, had me in tears. I was taken back to the days when I beat my own face in anger, despair and shame at failing to provide for my own family. Perhaps the most poignant line in this song is the one at the end of the third verse, when this desperate man states that the very sun, which has withered his crops, is the one which makes it such a beautiful afternoon. This is the touch of the master, who can open your eyes with a casual touch. I was reminded of Bill Boazman's,
"Bless this artist whose lines are so fine/Whose delicate touch can open our eyes/To a moment which might have been lost for all time/Bless these children".
There is nothing else as powerful as "Empty Handed" on the album, but there isn't on any other album which I have heard for years either. "Memory" does not miss by much though. The songs portrays an old man, struggling with a suspect memory, which he can neither control nor accept. The relentless chorus, "There are things he can't remember/There are things he can't forget", drives the message home.
There is the witty "Bite of the Underdog" and the pastoral "Hole House" along with the inspired romance of "Vassiliki" to put the smile back on your face. "Valentine" is well executed and sincere and the liner notes place it right next to a photo of Vanessa (the big softy!) "Put in the Hours" and "Langemarck" are reminders that compassion should not only be offered to the desperate or the attractive. The re-recordings of "Vassililki, "Flowers And The Guns" and "Circles In The Air" all add to the originals. The harmony vocals and instrumental supplements are rounded and supportive. Only on the final track, "The Ending Of The Day", does George's intonation sound a little unsure. It is an adventurous arrangement though, cello based and with no guitar. Being prepared to fail is part of getting better though. As a whole, this is better.
For any songwriter anywhere, this album sets a demanding standard to live up to. For a writer who has only been at it seriously for less than five years, this is a bloody miracle. There is more to come folks, but that is no reason to miss out on this lovely album.
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sj
