Phil Burdett sings wordy songs inspired by existential poets and real ale.
The roots of his sound can be traced back to what his online bio describes as an "alcoholic furrow in dim-lit folk clubs".
Now in his fifties, he's an old school troubadour with a seasoned voice like a grizzled version of Van Morrison.
Born in Kent and raised in Essex, this is album number nine and since it is listed as "Part one of the secular mystic mystery" he clearly has no intention of throwing in the towel just yet. It is dedicated to the memory of Jackie Levin.
These 12 songs were mostly written in Cornwall and recorded over a period of 6 months. Titles like See The Sunset Glow & Beckon True,Rimbaud's Ghost, Chapel St. & Union and Night Horses Of The Wireless Road give an indication that he's not the kind to toss off catchy tunes.
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His story songs are earnest works about outcasts and dreamers which you can imagine he has laboured over into the small hours with a pen in one hand and a pint of Guinness in the other. "The Sabbath she simmers with dawn on the hob" he growls on the opening song (First & Last) and celebrates "wisdom at the bottom of a glass" on the tale of a Gothic Miner.
The downside is that the absence of humour or ready accessibility means that the songs don't reach out to the audience with any warmth or urgency. I found the whole package to be solid and serious but also a little daunting and impersonal
Phil Burdett's website
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