Customer Reviews

The Common Thread (Feat. John Waite, Chris Thompson, Southside Johnny A.O.)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This wonderfully diverse and musically satisfying CD contains an amazing amalgam of terrific songs, incredible vocal performances and tight arrangements. Keith Reid's lyrics are the "common thread." While his face may not be familiar, his lyrical contributions certainly are. He was responsible for writing many of the 60's most oblique yet literate lyrics to some of the more memorable songs from that era, including the classics "A Whiter Shade of Pale," "Conquistador," "Shine on Brightly," etc. all recorded by seminal prog-rock band Procol Harum. He never actually performed with the group, but was their premier lyricist. As is the case here, he has written with some of today's and yesterday's most enduring writer/artist/singers. Included here are such luminaries as the unforgettable Terry Reid, John Waite, great blue-eyed soul singer Southside Johnny and Manfred Mann's Chris Thompson. The well conceived songs match thoughtfully with the featured vocalists. The arrangements are sharp and while the songs have a timeless quality to them, they all sound quite contemporary. Take your choice of rock, folk, r&b, or pop - they're all here for your aural pleasure. Kudos to Keith who continues to "Shine on Brightly."

Three stars are kind of generous on my part, because there is nothing here that would attract a casual listener. You've gotta be , like I am, a Procol Harum fanatic, and, or, a fan of great, forgotten white soul vocalists like Southside Johnny, Terry Reid, and John Waite. They all deliver the goods voice wise.The songs, ... well.. think Mike and The Mechanics.. I really hoped for more. All in all, hey ,I dig it. (While I'm at it..How did Keith Reid not include Paul Carrack not to mention Gary Brooker in his great white soul vocal line-up?). It's an import folks and thus costly. It's a vanity project to the extent that you're not sure just how much Keith Reid actually contributes...but boy those singers just knock you out!If you've ever loved Terry Reid, Southside Johnny,or John Waite,and wondered what they've been doing...well this is it ..and hence my three star review.

Sometimes, once a musician or songwriter has achieved fame, fortune, recognition, or a combination of all these, they have a tedency to rest on their laurels, satisfied that they have done their best work. Or their talents may diminish, or atrophy, or seemingly disappear altogether, as the Muse that once inspired them fades into memory.
And a few times, thankfully, a songwriter's talents intensify, their command of the language continues, their proximity to the "heart of the matter" draws closer and all the more intuitive. This is the case with the extraordinary Keith Reid, whose past accomplishments with Gary Brooker and Procol Harum are well-known and documented in the annals and court of popular music. Not content with sailing by on his lengthy resume, Reid has created a new body of work, "The Common Thread", that not only confirms his formidable talent, but places him squarely in the forefront of popular writers that transcend genre and continue to speak to the soul in all of us for whom music speaks deepest.
Collaborating with a few of his many musical foils, Reid has co-written a great bunch of new songs that showcase his wondrous ways with sense and sentiment, his clever (but never "too...") wordplay, and his ageless poet's heart. With the likes of Chris Thompson, Chaz Jankel, Southside Johnny, John Waite, and Bernie Shanahan adding strong and soulful and stirring vocals to the warm and beautifully produced tracks ( a major nod to Matt Noble), there is something here for every musical palette, while still presenting a cohesive "Common Thread" upon which to hang one's hat and coat.
To say that this offering is merely Reid's "latest endeavor" is to miss the point; "The Common Thread" is more a truly generous musical gift, a cozy and inviting fireplace of an album that has the power to take those familiar flames and stoke them once again into a poignant, provocative, playful, and ultimately powerful blaze. The Keith Reid Project burns with a passionate light, and "The Common Thread" spreads his light far and wide.

"The Only Monkey" is an absolutely brilliant song. I not only love the lyrics, but the structure of the song as well. Writing great lyrics is a given for a great lyricist like Keith Reid. This work may not have the musical elegance of a Procol Harum album, but this it is a worthy addition to a Procol Harum fan's collection.

Keith Reid is the greatest lyricist of our time. This record is a perfect addition to the Procol Harum collection and contains; The Common Thread, Gold Fever, and In God's Shadow, which until this release was only available in Keith's signed limited edition book, "My Own Choice, a selection of lyrics" available at www.charnelhouse.com. There is life after Procol Harum and still more great lyrics. You've got to have this CD.