This is Kiefer Sutherland’s fourth album, and while much remains constant in terms of quality and his soft, grit-filled voice, Grey marks a distinct sea change in his song writing.
Songs of love gone wrong and whiskey-filled remorse, long-time fan favourites, are still present, but there is a darker, more complex hue running through many of the tracks on this collection. If his previous album, ‘Bloor Street’, was a photo album of places from his past, ‘Grey’ feels more like a diary, with Sutherland ruminating on events, relationships, and the roads both taken and left unexplored.
Yet there is still enough light and melody to balance those more solemn reflections.
Sutherland’s occupations as both actor and songwriter revolve around storytelling and emotional honesty, and both qualities are evident throughout the album. The downbeat “Come Back Down”, complete with beautiful dobro work, and the character-driven “American Farmer”, with Sutherland portraying an exhausted landowner struggling to stay afloat, are among the strongest examples.
Lead single “Simpler Time” carries a warm, nostalgic glow. Sutherland describes it as “a reflection on my youth that felt more reliable culturally, socially and politically”, harking back to a time when “we were wild and young and free.”
“Goodbye California” is a lilting paean to his adopted home as he sets sail for pastures new, and it will no doubt become a live favourite.
“Starlight” plays like a ‘sad café’ for the lost and lonely, with couples in corners holding on too tightly:
Down here at The Starlight, we’re all fine
Throwing back our drinks in double time
Round here, the stories never change
So buy another drink to kill the pain
The ethereal backing vocals become a heavenly choir for the unconsolable.
Darker still is “Cruel World”:
We all got two things in common, and from this you can’t hide
Right now we’re alive, and one day we’ll die
The good Lord says it ain’t right to take your own life
But a losing streak has broke me inside
So goodbye, goodbye, goodbye
These are the thoughts of a man contemplating his very existence and wrestling with despair. It is a sign of Sutherland’s growing confidence as a songwriter that he is willing to confront such difficult material so directly.
Elsewhere, he delivers the lovely ballad “Third Time’s a Charm”, the soul-soaked “Rage in Me”, and a superb rendition of Merle Haggard’s “Tonight the Bottle Let Me Down”.
Sutherland’s first three albums were extremely enjoyable country-tinged outings. With ‘Grey’, however, his musical palette, and particularly his songwriting, has evolved to a higher level, producing a challenging and deeply thought-provoking collection while still maintaining its melodic core.
One slight reservation is the title.
This album is far from ‘Grey’!