It’s retro Friday and a chance to remind you of the powerful introspection of Willard Grant Conspiracy with the classic song ‘Vespers’. The loose collective of musicians led by singer and songwriter Robert Fisher were well-known for deep explorations of what it means to be human. Fisher’s vocals were often compared to the legendary Johnny Cash and there’s a similar darkness in his lyrics: “There’s a road that I can’t go back down…I’ve chosen a road // Full of boulders and stones // And I’m finding it hard to advance // When I come to the end of my journey // Lord, won’t you show me a sign // I have searched all these years // For a light that will heal // But all I can see is the night.” Such dark lyricism leaves the listener reeling and is all the more emotional to hear again after Fisher’s untimely death in 2017, aged 59.
This video was filmed on the streets of Belfast by Will McConnell in 2009. What makes this particularly notable is the delightful interaction with local youths, in stark contrast with the challenging words of ‘Vespers’.
