CD Review Wildernessed
Patrick Burke
Self-produced
by KT
Patrick Burke,
performing artist and composer, recently released his latest recording, Wildernessed.
It is evident that Burke performs live as well as in the studio. The
musicians backing him on this new CD include George Ives, Charles Hemphill,
Lord Alfred Douglas, John Addington Symonds and that’s just the first
tune.
All the performers on this CD are heavily invested in Burke’s original
sound. As a soloist, Burke can put his message across in style, but
having other musicians understand and perform well on original material,
for example, is critical. That dedication and familiarity are admirable
on this project.
Liner notes list all players and song credits but direct you to the website
for more information. Burke penned 11 of the 14 tunes on Wildernessed.
Track six is A Thirty Second Song About Suicide. The lyrics
are posted on the website, but Burke assures us that he is not suicidal
but that he might “feel much better dead.” Burke’s unique style of
humor is well-articulated in this track; it borders on the sardonic
but is totally sincere.
This writer’s favorite, perhaps mainly because of familiarity, is cut
number seven, Jennifer Juniper by “Donovan Leitch, genius.” Donovan’s
other ‘60s era music includes Wear Your Love Like Heaven, Mellow
Yellow, and more. Burke’s arrangement of Jennifer Juniper renders
the tune recognizable. It is of great significance that Burke can
apply his personal style to this tune and still preserve the substance.
If you doubt that Burke can include a light-hearted tune like this
in his current collection and also have a smooth flow from one tune
to another, you must listen to Wildernessed.
In keeping with the ethereal and slightly spooky sound of this recording,
Burke occasionally sacrifices clarity of his lyrics in favor of the
moody and emotionally seductive impression overall. Described as
literary rock, Wildernessed is inspired by the life and work
of Oscar Wilde. Burke states that this latest release is his best
work.
A visit to his website is revealing, as Burke also is a photographer.
Since his fine art posters are based on his photography, the digital
element captures the images but rearranges them for maximum impact.
Burke refers to his artistic style as of the “New Impressionists” school.
That classification can also be used to describe his music. Other
attempts to describe Wildernessed certainly must fail at some
point. Wildernessed has to be witnessed.
For more information, see website at www.patrickburke.com. Email Burke at hello@patrick-burke.com. Check
ad and Bandstand for schedule of performances.
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