A thoughtful, introspective, at times autobiographical album by a renowned singer, songwriter and painter.
Although known for his musical exploits, Grant-Lee Phillips first started out as a visual artist; however, on arriving in Los Angeles in the early 1980s, coinciding with the formative days of the underground music scene, he changed tack, channelling his energy into writing, recording, and performing music. Phillips has never given up on the visual arts, though and sees that painting and songwriting go hand in hand; “As a lyricist, I tend to be a visual person too; I’m painting scenery with words, setting the stage, capturing a mood”.
Nashville-based Phillips first became known as the singer, guitarist, and songwriter of americana band Grant Lee Buffalo, who released four studio albums during the 1990s. Grant Lee Buffalo disbanded in 1999, at which point Phillips began his solo career. He also appears in the comedy TV series “Gilmore Girls” as the town troubadour.
“In the Hour of Dust” is Phillips’ 12th solo LP, and he describes it as contemplative; “Trying to find meaning in an age of confusion, feeling your way through the blinding dust of unreality”. It’s a highly personal opus, with the songs’ lyrics often autobiographical. As well as writing all of the songs on the album (including one co-write), Phillips is responsible for production; he also contributes vocals and guitars across the record and additional keyboards and bass guitar in places. Oh, and he painted the image on the album cover, too. The other musicians featured on the album are top-quality, in-demand session and touring players; the lifetime partnership rhythm section of Jay Bellerose (drums and percussion) and Jennifer Condos (bass guitar), along with Patrick Warren on keyboards. Between them, these musicians have worked with a veritable ‘Who’s Who‘ of artists, from Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, to Bonnie Raitt, Rhiannon Giddens, Aimee Mann, Suzanne Vega, Madeleine Peyroux, Elton John, Rod Stewart, Melissa Etheridge, Beth Hart, Bruce Springsteen and Stevie Nicks. Bellerose, Condos, and Warren have also all played together as members of the band Over The Rhine.
The album opens with ‘Little Men‘, a song about the basic right of the American people to be free, which, even currently, is not a given; ultimately though Phillips expresses his belief in humanity “Nothing lesser than emancipation, Baby there’s no sweeter song, Little men who want to rule like Caesar, Can’t hold the tide off for long“. Interestingly, ‘Did You Make It Through the Night Okay‘ refers to the way that people of the Muskogee (Creek) Nation (of which Phillips is an enrolled citizen) greet each other; rather than wish each other “Good morning” a term which has no equivalent in the Creek language, the greeting is the perhaps more meaningful “Estonkon cukhayvtikv”, with its literal meaning “Did you make it through the night okay?” This song has a catchy chorus.
Phillips co-wrote ‘Bullies‘ with long-time collaborator Jamie Edwards; it reflects on memories of schoolyard bullies, pondering whether the bullies ever grow out of their trait or whether they end up the same in adult life, working in jobs that reward them for this behaviour. The song’s lyrics describe it thus “What a friendless place it’s become, Senseless, ask anyone, Hard to believe, the one that you know, Will be different tomorrow, Love to make a fool of us, On the schoolyard again, Oh, the world is full of bullies, You just can’t give in to them“.
Released as a single and described by Phillips as one of the most personal songs on the LP, ‘She Knows Me‘ is a standout on the record; it is about the fears and insecurities that Phillips has and the gratitude he has that he has someone who knows him, as he puts it “better than I do myself at times“. Phillips’ guitar playing is a highlight here. ‘No Mistaking‘ describes Phillips’ relationship with his wife (a fellow artist) and how they have grown over time; “Whenever I’m with you, Time is a blur, Talk ‘til two in the morning, Never run out of words, In the blink of an eye, Watching the sun rise, How many times, No mistaking, this is love“.
‘Last Corner of the Earth‘ closes the album in anthemic fashion, with Phillips sending a powerful message, urging us all to not give up hope “You don’t look backwards, you just drive, With your eyes glued to the curve, Don’t lift your foot ‘til you’ve arrived, At the last corner of the earth, You won’t sleep ‘til you’ve arrived, At the last corner of the earth“.
This is a personal, reflective record, which comes across strongly in the lyrics. The performances are strong, reflecting the quality of the musicians employed.
