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Island & Deserts is divided into two parts: Songs from the island
and Songs from the Desert.
The first seven tracks are a mixture of pop-rock with progressive
elements. Easy to listen to and telling stories of love and everyday
life.
Be Free
is a very poppy song – inviting to sing along – with some world
music elements added to it. This is not the only song that reminds
of Steve Forbert. Also Boystown – with a beautiful
Hammond organ – could have been from this man’s hand. Another artist
who seems to have influenced Carey is Peter Gabriel. Some
parts of Miles Away make the listener think of him. Tony
Carey has a specific voice - a bit hoarse but always in tune – which
gives a special character to his music. It may be because of this
voice that I wouldn’t be surprised if Joe Cocker would one
day cover King of the Fools. A wonderful track that should be
in the charts of many radio stations. This song has all it takes to
become a hitsingle, except perhaps a famous name to perform it. This
is just the kind of song Joe Cocker usually uses to score worldwide.
In Take You Out Tonight the music becomes funky and the
atmosphere very American as in a lot of Cheryl Crow’s songs.
The atmosphere completely changes when the Songs from the Desert
start. Along the Pontchartrain, a mainly acoustic
song, brings you in a subdued mood. I can’t help thinking of
Roger Waters when I hear this song and I wonder whether that’s a
coincidence. The atmosphere of the songs becomes darker and in No
Man’s Land we are confronted with the cruelties of life and war.
There’s a unique interaction between synthesizer, strings and
acoustic guitar. The pipes in the background bring of the atmosphere
of the Scottish Highlands, solemnly playing their tunes in the
middle of the threat of noises of war. In the intro of Dust
it seems as if an angelic voice is mourning for the dead. Here too,
Carey’s way of singing, combined with the acoustic guitar reminds of
Roger Waters and although Waters may be the absolute king in writing
songs of grief and inner pain, Carey comes very close in this song.
Ending sentences almost spoken instead of sung it seems as if he
deliberately imitates Water’s style. Let me be very clear about
this: there’s no negative comment in this at all. Hope is
magnificently restored in I Never Go Anywhere Alone. A tender
song with beautiful melody and rhythm. I Still Love You is of
extreme beauty. It contains Irish ballad elements and makes me think
of Tom Waits time and again. Never overdone and beautifully
arragend. This song could only be improved if the orchestral
arrangements were performed by a real orchestra.
Saw a Satellite
is presented as a special sneak preview bonus track. Preview to
what, I couldn’t tell. It’s a good song, but it doesn’t totally fit
in the rest of the desert songs as far as I’m concerned. But not to
worry: this is a magnificent album! |
