Melody and heartfelt ruminations on family, life and love combine to winning effect on a timeless album.
My Girl The River sees Kris Wilkinson Hughes collaborating with husband Joe and daughter Rue, and this wonderfully honest and unpretentious album makes a strong case for keeping it in the family. However, it would be remiss to overlook the contributions of all the other musicians on this record, in particular: Chris Pepper (drums and piano, as well as sound engineer), George Marinelli, Ryan Robinson and Steve Lee (electric guitars), Jerry Dale McFadden and Harry Whittey (keyboards).
As befits the group name, this record has a real flow to it. Kris has written all the songs, produced the album and handles the string arrangements, and her soulful and clear vocals convey her personal lyrics against a highly appealing melodic backdrop. There is the easy, listenable feel of the 1970s Laurel Canyon tribe. It sounds effortless, but there is no doubt that a huge amount of craft and musical nous is required to produce something which fits together so well.
And experience. Kris hails from Louisiana, but has lived in the UK for the last twenty years, and she draws from her US heritage and her British home on these ten songs which knit together elements of folk, country, soul, yacht rock and pop. It is generally considered impolite to reference a lady’s age, but she makes no bones about the fact she is now 60, and this record just serves to demonstrate that a full life, well-lived, counts for much. Kris has covered many bases in her time; from software testing, to PR, to stained glass artisan, to specialist clown for a non-profit organisation working in children’s hospitals. It is safe to say her journey through music and life does not parallel that of Sid Vicious!
The songs on this album certainly speak of the wisdom acquired from experience. Up The Mountain opens the record in fine style, with a sing-along chorus, backed by slide guitar and winning harmonies, while the lyrics tell of the love and support needed to overcome obstacles: “Up the mountain/You were my guide/I am here, and I can feel you now.”
That was a single, and another follows. Heavy is a song which should be a huge hit; it’s a great tune about confident appearances being deceptive: “Just because I can carry it/Doesn’t mean it’s not heavy.” That leads into the wistful shuffle of Teenage Geek about being young and not being sure of oneself. The mellow Breadcrumbs on the Water follows, with its message about the importance of communication. A Little Favour is backed with just strings and piano, with its plaintive, polite plea for someone to stay the night.
Living Your Life is a kindly appraisal of a child’s development: “Standing your ground/For what was right“. The Good the Bad, The Good ponders the ups and downs of life, and there is a hint of Gilbert O’Sullivan in its rolling piano-led sentiments. Without You gently speaks of the quiet need for, and joy of, a long-term partner’s support. Everywhere You Go is another love song, with harmonious vocals. Where Does the Rain Come From provides a melancholic showcase for Kris’s fine voice, enhanced with some lap steel and strings: “I think of you, and I laugh/I think of you, and I cry/And I don’t always know just how to show what I’m feeling”.
As an aside, the vinyl version of the record looks terrific with its splashes of orange and pink on the disc, and the intriguing tiger-with-wings logo designed by Rue Hughes.
For those sensible enough to be attending AUK’s 25th birthday celebrations in Liverpool in November, the appearance of My Girl The River on the bill is a definite plus. This is a fine, largely home-grown album with plenty of depth in its lyrics, contemplating family life, great tunes and lovely, well-judged accompaniment.
