It never ceases to amaze me how Chris Stamey conceives of his albums; each one is different from the last. He never treads water and if you’ve heard cover songs before, Mr. Stamey has his own approach and style in which he delivers.
Such is the case with Mr. Stamey’s latest release, Modernism, which is an interesting mix of songs – and makes it all the more compelling. Kicking off with The Beatles’ “Hey Bulldog”, it’s a clean, tight and tasteful delivery, especially on the guitar solo (video below, so you can listen and hear what I’m saying); the baroque beauty of The Left Banke’s “Shadows Breaking Over My Head” is a perfect melding of orchestral arrangements and pop structure. My (overall) favorite is “Neon Rainbow”, from The Box Tops’ first album – delivered in a joyful, breezy fashion; the two surprising re-visits are “Of Time And All She Brings To Mind”, one of Mr. Stamey’s own tracks (from 1987’s It’s Alright album); this time, it’s a bit meatier and crisp and, production-wise, has a updated punch. The other is an update of Mr. Stamey’s debut solo single, “Where The Fun Is”, which, again, here has a modern(!), fully-realized arrangement and vibe.
“Ruby Tuesday” has a delicate, ethereal feel and clean, warming acoustic guitar touches and the most rollicking fun moment has to be “Hernando’s Hideaway” from the musical The Pajama Game. Very left-field, wryly yet perfectly executed, it’s one of the standout moments.
I’ll let you discover this album, along with the other tracks not mentioned (like “Waterloo Sunset”, etc.) and not try to sway you with my opinions. But, if you’re like me, you appreciate and absorb an artists’ take on beloved songs – or hopefully, it leads you to check out the originals.
Kudos to Mr. Stamey for delivering another great collection of works – classic masterpieces that he’s made his own.
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Modernism is currently available