Author, newspaper columnist and musician, Terence Blacker’s new musical journey finds him expanding his musical horizons into jazz with a vaudevillian feel on his new record ‘Playing for Time’.
Assembling a host of European musicians, including bassist Gianni Crescenzi, drummer Domenico de Marco, singer Fortunata Monzo, guitarist Giovanni Rago and accordionist Hartmut Saam, Terence Blacker decamped to Goldmine Recording studios in Southern Italy to record ‘Playing for Time’. His skill with lyrics echos the works of others who’ve combined satire with music. Ray Davies, Roy Harper, and Damon Albarn all come to mind when listening to the whimsical and self-deprecating humour on the record.
‘Fake News’ takes a look at the darker side of online life which often manifests itself in online scams and false profiles. ‘Me Too’ provides an interesting take on the current need to judge people in the court of social opinion while gently pointing out that most of the self-appointed judges have their own skeletons in their cupboards.
‘Europa, Mein Amour’ smoothly mocks the need of the Brexit voters to hang onto the illusion of the past as justification for leaving Europe while Blacker complies a list of the benefits of staying with the EU family. It’s a very personal song for Blacker. He wrote a piece for The New European describing his thoughts on the song.
Classic storytelling conjures up imagery of the landscapes of the spaghetti westerns of Sergio Leone in the listener’s mind in the semi-mythical tale of love between a mysterious stranger and a young woman in ‘Time Is A Hard Ridden Pony’. Family ties and emotional investment are themes running through ‘Thank You To My Team’; a beautiful song that uses reflective imagery to describe the shared emotions of a father and son following a football team over a lifetime. A highlight on the record, it has hints of the emotions of Roy Harper’s ‘When An Old Cricketer Leaves The Crease’.
‘Playing For Time’ is a clever album full of social commentary, reflection, and captivating storytelling.