Steve Ashley, Time And Tide (Topic, 2007)
Given the usual wait between albums, it seems almost surreal to be reviewing a new Steve Ashley CD just a year or so after his previous release, Live In Concert. I guess since that one wasn't strictly a collection of new songs, we can say the spell hasn't really been broken in that sense. One track on the live set was 'Ships Of Shame' which was a foretaste of this studio album, and its promise was that Ashley still had important matters to comment on, and still had a unique musical approach in which to set his thoughts. Now the latest collection of songs has been delivered, and it must be said the promise has definitely been fulfilled.
Musically, Time And Tide has many Steve Ashley hallmarks, with gentle arrangements and many of his favourite musicians on board once again to lend a hand, along with Robert Kirby's string arrangements, which always augment the song without overpowering it. The only electric instruments are Dik Cadbury's bass and Simon Nicol's guitar on one track, and even their use is quite subtle. Chris Leslie helps out on fiddle on a couple of tracks, sounding quite a lot like Dave Swarbrick in places to my ears, while Dave Pegg brings his acoustic bass to a handful of songs.With the quality of the music and its performers, it only took a couple of tracks for me to realise on first listen that this was potentially an equal to his classic early albums Stroll On and Speedy Return -- and on repeated listenings, I see no reason to change my mind now. His music was timeless all those years ago, and that is a knack he obviously hasn't lost.
Some changes may be noted in the lyrical themes, however. Obviously, a few extra decades of living must change anyone's outlook on life and it seems that while his concern for social justice and the human condition remains strong, as songs like 'The Drowning Cell' and 'The Refugees' illustrate -- the latter giving a particularly human face to the issue -- there is a noticeable element of mature contemplation within many songs as well.
'A Time Honoured Way', for example, addresses the issue of physical aging while the mind remains young, whilst two of the album's most touching songs tell the stories of deceased friends and relatives -- environmentalist Roger Deakin in 'Friend Of The Rivers' and Ashley's grandfather in 'Down The Line' -- with the hope of future meetings with both. The former is sung unaccompanied, and the latter has a deceptively jolly tune with lyrics that easily paint the mind picture he is trying to portray.
As well as more maturity in the personal lyrics (which is not to suggest any immaturity in previous ones), there are more contemporary themes to many songs as well. One of the most striking is the opener 'The North West Wind' which combines a litany of modern hazards to mistrust (various scams, certain Western leaders) with a friendly warning to beware them all, all wrapped within a natural framework. Cleverly done, indeed. This mix of personal and global themes is a feature of the CD generally.
The use of nature and the seasons as theme or metaphor has always been a strong aspect of Ashley's work and it is certainly not forgotten here, even if it isn't a major aspect overall. He's never been averse to lighter subjects either and here, the jauntiness of 'Pub Carpets' (its title is self explanatory) makes a nice contrast to the seriousness around it, with an arrangement that could even be described as cheesy!
The last couple of tracks are possibly the most touching of all. 'A Better Day' is one of those songs that offer advice on how to make life better for oneself and others, and though the simplicity of its ideas could be misleading, the tune, feel and uplifting nature of the track all conspire to make it quite moving. For some reason, whenever I hear it I think it would make an appropriate theme song for some human rights organisation. "Never mind the hair and skin / refine the inner vision / Release the love that lies within / It's the same in all religions." So simple and so true. This is followed by 'Best Wishes' which has already been recorded by Fairport Convention on their latest album. Again, the ingenuousness of the lyrics is delightfully disarming, and the addition of ex-Incredible String Band harpist Robin Williamson makes an already beautiful song even more so.
Time And Tide is a very humane album. It shows care for the planet and its inhabitants, it makes an effort to point out our similarities rather than our differences, and it shows the progression of ideas and priorities as time goes on. It could be called a typical Steve Ashley album if there is such a thing, in terms of having lyrics that range from overt to contemplative, and a musical structure that isn't always expected. But equally typically, it all works together in its unique, charming way.
The packaging is also very nicely done, with a tastefully designed digipak sleeve and a booklet containing the all-important lyrics, that at all times befit Ashley's gentle yet emotive vocals. This CD is a subtle work in many ways, but don't confuse subtlety with lack of depth -- that would be a major mistake.
