Real
Midnight is an album that celebrates love, life and mankind. It is the album
that our world needs.
A beautiful
spring day, sitting on the town square, enjoying the sun. Some musicians set up
their gear. And then they start playing. Within a few minutes, the square is
filled with curious people already waiting for the next song. That is the image
that came to me when I heard the first released song ‘Dim star of the palisades’,
which is also the opening track for Birds of Chicago’s second album ‘Real Midnight’,
produced by Joe Henry.
hold on, Tomorrow’s on you like a pack of wild hounds is sung. A life ahead of you, and the future can be both frightening and full of adrenaline. No one knows what it brings…. This is, to me, what this album is about. This first song gives you a head’s up, while the following song ‘ Remember Wild horses’ is the other side of life, where all is left, are memories you have to enjoy. (Beautiful Clarinet solo by the way).
It follows
with ‘Kinderspel’. How wonderful to see a title in Dutch, my native language. This
word is mostly used to express when we find something very easy. “How did you
do that ? “, “Oh, dat was kinderspel”. I don’t know if that interpretation of
the word lead to choosing it as title, maybe it’s also just a beautiful
sounding word for child’s game. Kinderspel is perhaps the song where the
chemistry of this group of people is the clearest. You have off Course Birds of
Chicago, backed up for these recordings by drummer Jay Bellerose. Ryan Freeland
behind the desk, and Joe Henry in the producers’ seat. With closed eyes I stood
in the room, and let it sway me like a floating river for 6 minutes. Slowly it
builds up, and the game between Jay and piano, (and later on guitar) is just
perfect. It sounds like it was ‘kinderspel’ to record.
With that title and these
lyrics, I listen to the song as the poetry of a mother and her child. But it
could easily be about lovers. I wanted peace like a river Allison sings. But who is speaking
to whom? It doesn’t matter, that is for the mind of the listener.
I’ll be
burning up for you
Let me go, God bless me
At certain
points in life, both mother and child could say it.
The
energetic ‘Estrella Goodbye’ catapults me back in to time. The beginning of
adult life, and there are no limits for you and your friends. The greatest
parties, and biggest fun. Tomorrow is
gonna come, and kill tonight. The least you could do is put up a fight are
the opening words, and with those sentences they capture the essence of that track.
This song is 1 big party, and just when you think it is over, the addictive
energy explodes after the break with the girls chanting. Through history, a lot
of songs are written trying to create this energy of ultimate happiness, very
few succeed. It will be hard for musicians to deliver a better approach then
this one. Also : How must it have been recording this in the studio ? The joy
it must have been, the excitement that was probably in there. You cannot fake
this kind of joy! This is ‘real midnight’ in its most energetic meaning.
The title
track gives us another interpretation of midnight. Here it is the darkest
moment in the night. It is a song that gives us hope, and learns us that we
need to help each other going through that period, and seeing that after the
night, there will be a day.
You see, I
started writing this review in the days where my country was left numb due to
the brutal and un-understandable taking of innocent lives at the Brussels
airport and subway station. While most media and politics are occupied with the
question: how did we get at this point? I mostly think, where are we heading
towards? What is the world we are giving to our children?
‘Real
Midnight’ has become a bit of a comfort for me in that question. Off course
there is no answer, but the song displays hope, understanding and support. This
song is the tale of humanity. We are faced with all this horror, and don’t find
answers.
real midnight’s gonna come
real wolves at your door
with blood on their tongues
now what you gonna do
with your days left in the sun?
real wolves at your door
with blood on their tongues
now what you gonna do
with your days left in the sun?
And who’ standing there ?
When the anger comes,
And it darkens your eyes.
We should
all look out for each other. There will be times when we are down, and others
up, so let us be there.
Give me those tender kisses,
Lift me up, don’t cut me down,
I know you love me !
It is not
always easy, and sometimes we maybe don’t see the end of the tunnel, but in
time, when people look back, they’ll see how strong love is !
in 10,000 years
they’ll see our love shine
they’ll see our love shine
We are only
halfway the album, and already had this amazing palette of emotions of life. Where
‘Real Midnight’ guides us through moments in life where we don’t see it
anymore, The Church Gospel ‘Barley’ is about the power of standing strong
during tough times.
The wind that shakes the Barley, won’t shake
me.
Followed by
a true Love ballad ‘Color of Love’, about understanding the intensity of loving.
After that : ‘Time and times’ learns us how to move on after lost love. ‘Time and
times’ is another example of a great choice in instrumentation. The cloud of
fiddle, accordeon and piano is so wonderful.
‘Sparrow’
starts with an unsettling Banjo, and is like a bad dream, where you can’t wake
up from. Luckily it is followed by the Joyous ‘The Good fight’. The wonderful
Rhiannon Giddens joins in singing. It is a celebration of life.
And then
the band packs up,… hits the road,… and the town square continues its life with
renewed energy. ‘Pelicans’ makes us look in wonder at our own life, the baggage
we all have. Each day is neither a beginning, nor an ending. It is life.
Birds of
Chicago is touring Europe in a few weeks.
Apr 23:
Eeklo, Belgium
Apr 24:
Oldenzaal, Netherlands
Apr 25:
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Apr 26:
Middelburg Netherlands
Apr 28:
Terheijden, Netherlands
Apr 29:
Baarn, Netherlands
Apr 30: Groningen, Netherlands
May 2: Belfast, UK
May 4: London, UK
May 7: Ospel, Netherlands
May 8: Nijmegen, Netherlands
May 9: Eindhoven, Netherlands
