It is always a privilege to review albums from local singer/songwriters. The offering from Bridport resident Peter James Millson is no exception. He’s been gigging across the southwest and steps beyond for a couple of years now, all the while carefully crafting songs. The effort has paid off and Peter’s first album, Sweet The Love That Meets Return, is worthy addition to any music collection.
A while back Peter was writing some publicity material and he asked me who his music reminded me of. I struggled for an answer. I’d not known Peter that long, not heard many of his songs. Well, time moves on and I’ve been listening to Peter at various gigs; more and more admiring his music. Most especially I admire his ability to construct a narrative. All of his songs tell a poetically evocative story, all draw on experience rather than imagination. Given that Peter is an accomplished and recognised photographer it should not be remarkable that his songs are like photographs: sharp, focussed, of the mood, they draw you in, they are of life.
Sweet The Love That Meets Return is a bright canvas for Peter’s songs. I’ve heard all of them performed solo by Peter with just his acoustic guitar, but here they are performed in a band context with a full complement of musicians. Listening to the album is a delightfully seamless experience. You can just dip in and out for random tracks, yet you really should take the time to sit with your eyes closed and let the entirety wash over you…
I Remember Us is a wistful remembrance of Peter’s brother. Imaginatively set against a catchy up-tempo, the song loses nothing of its poignancy and what might have been no more than a sentimental choice becomes a fitting opening track. I Did Things I Shouldn’t Have… brings a drop in pace and a disarmingly honest song of confession of male weakness. I’d have liked more detail.. hehehe!. Michael is a song of encouragement for a friend unlucky in love. The Midnight Bell is about hoping to be lucky in love; driven by a thumping rhythm and lovely pedal-steel work weaving around the lead. Broken Hearts keeps the pace with an especially tight rhythm and a catchy hook. In Winter is an excellent song. Voice and acoustic guitar lead us in, joined by a whisper of harmonium and then cello before drum and bass arrive to take us home. Red Leaves on The Cherry Tree is a dreamy, floating piece. Regret for time gone? Remembering good times? Being Young is a song no-one can fail to smile at: tree-climbing, falling in streams, setting fire to boxes of matches – kids, eh! Everybody Knows conjures images was of walking misty streets, mulling over the day – disappointments, truths, realisations. Then the pace picks up to an exuberant step. All will be well. A beautiful song on which to end.
No album is perfect, so what are the weaknesses? The first three tracks are pleasant enough, but workmanlike. Certainly Michael just didn’t do it for me. That’s a shame because it plays well as a live solo piece. On occasion, I would have liked Peter’s voice to be more forward in the mix and better supported with some harmonies to build texture. The solo instrumental work was at times lacking direction, in particular on Michael.
The strengths? The Midnight Bell marks the point at which everything gels and what might have been a nice, but ordinary, album becomes a very good album; one of which Peter should be duly proud. Broken Hearts, Red Leaves on The Cherry Tree and Being Young are charged and strong, deserving of air play. The best two songs are Everybody Knows and In Winter, but there’s just a wafer between them. For me, In Winter edges I, because that’s the song I’d like to have written. I thoroughly recommend this album as one for collection.
Still the original question is unanswered! Who does Peter James Millson remind me of? Jackson Browne – he reminds me of Jackson Browne. I think he’ll be OK with that.
Sweet The Love That Meets Return was engineered and mixed by Chris Clarke at Reservoir Studios, London; mastered by Mark Lord at Supernature and produced by Danny George Wilson.
For more information and contact details, go to: www.peterjamesmillson.com
Ian Sedwell
