Entertainment, Music Paul Burch, Words of Love: Songs of Buddy Holly
01 Rave On by Paul Burch by Paul Burch
When presented the opportunity to review an advance copy of the upcoming Paul Burch release, Words of Love: Songs of Buddy Holly, we must admit there was a whim of bias.
Burch is and always has been one of those talents who sets the bar quite high for themselves, if not based solely upon prior critical applause. The Nashville artist has performed on the score of several blockbuster films, has aided the recorded efforts of performers such as Ryan Adams and Vic Chesnutt, and has arranged music for PBS documentaries. His debut LP, Pan-American Flash, was voted by Amazon.com as the fifth best country album-of the entire 1990’s. Chet Atkins and Marianne Faithfull consider themselves to be Paul Burch fanatics. Seven albums have established Burch as what would be born of an explosion between traditional country music and present day nuances.
So on the cusp of his eighth studio recording, we came in expecting the standard Paul Burch and WPA Ballclub fare; a gritty, folksy, raw meshing of earthy country, jazzy rhythm and blues, and a swinging rock beat. Such a lofty target, crafting a personal and resonating reimagining of an untouchable American song library, would have sent others running. Paul Burch, he pierced the bull right on the eye.
Words of Love: Songs of Buddy Holly is an ambitious revisiting of thirteen Buddy Holly tracks. But a cover album it is not. Words is akin to sitting in a lawn chair, inches from Holly and his Crickets, in a sweltering garage in the early ‘50s. It is a visceral rendition of a catalogue that no radio or studio can alter or sway. Simply, it rips away the gloss yet still shines. To the sock- hop crowd, it streams into their acoustics as if Holly never truly died; as if the legend had one day stumbled across a pristine and untouched copy of his private sessions while he was cleaning out his awards’ statuette- filled garage. To everyone else, it is as if the collection was always meant for Burch-Buddy Holly, he just had the luxury of being born first.
Holly’s original recordings always felt subtly muted and corralled, as if someone was keeping a tiger locked in a cage. Paul Burch rips the steel walls and roars right out of the gate with his sharp claws drawn. While remaining true to the essence of the tunes in their primitive form, this album seamlessly shifts arrangements and alters chord changes with gusto and bravado, and the audience is left with an implausible combination of respect for Holly’s groundbreaking vision and Paul Burch’s utter brilliance. It is as if Shakespeare penned the first half of a great work, and generations later, Hemingway scribed the rest.
Words of Love: Songs of Buddy Holly just might be the lost bridge between the Americana of yesterday and the continuation of the genre today. This brand of authentic Honky- Tonk and soul driven melodies could very well be what is devoid in a music industry heavy on vanishing shelf lives. Paul Burch has proven once again that he and his vision come with no expiration date.
http://www.paulburch.com
Reader Comments (3)
Wonderfrul, I love the tunes of the great Buddy Holly and cant wait to pick up a copy of Paul's interpretation. Rave On's incredible, great energy.
Rob
Memphis,TN
Paul Burch is an amazingly talented musician and performer. Any other fans in the Pacific NW? Having seen him perform back East, I'd love to get him out here for some shows. In the meantime, I'll be looking for this album. Spread the word!
Oh I can't wait thanks for showcasing this talented man. And Buddy Holly music no less.