Those who know me, know that one of my favourite records ever is Pukka Orchestra's debut album. For whatever reason that album is indelibly ingrained in my musical DNA.
I remember Neil Chapman (Pukka alumni, and fret wizard) mentioning in passing through one of our infrequent exchanges he was working on fleshing out some demos and recordings Graeme had made before his passing in 2020.
Then the other day I received a digital copy of the album, complete with a comprehensive booklet (something sorely missing from the majority of releases, and sadly when I looked for it on iTunes it wasn't part of the download, hopefully that can be fixed). They say you can't go home again, but hearing Graeme's distinctive voice was like a homecoming of sorts.
There's still a bite to his lyrics but the angry young man evolved into an introspective and wizened old soul who seemed to appreciate the value of life and wanted to draw attention to both beauty and injustice. I think he sums it up best in the song "Promised Land"
Many the road that I've been down
Many the river I have found
Many the wonderful thing fell in my hand
So don't talk to me about being free
If you won't make what you want to be
Then, man, you'll never live to see the Promised Land
I have no idea what condition the bed tracks were in when Neil started working on the album. Graeme's widow says in the notes, "Most of this music was originally recorded, solo, at home in Glasgow. Now his friend and longtime colleague, Neil Chapman, has added his magic to the tracks. Graeme would have loved that." I couldn't agree more.
Because You Were There reminds me of Gerry Rafferty's Rest in Blue. A decade after his passing the album he was working on was stripped down to his vocals, and the music re-recorded to hearken back to his earlier work. It's a great album, and an almost perfect farewell to one of my favourite artists. Similarly here, Graeme's voice is front and centre, and on the full band songs the music really is magic.
Because You Were There is really two albums: One where the songs are fully fleshed out, and another that is very intimate, often just guitar and vocal. I cannot imagine the challenge in sequencing the songs, do you separate them into the two categories which would likely draw focus to the "band" songs, and relegate the more intimate songs to a "bonus" track category? Or do you weave them throughout the album having the songs ebb and flow stylistically. It is the latter approach that is taken. Having listened to the album a few times through that was the right call. It enhances the ethereal quality to many of the songs and adds to the overall listening experience. As if to highlight the ebb and flow throughout the album is the sound of the ocean. Waves rolling it ,waves rolling out.
This really isn't an ordinary release, rather this is an attempt to document a legacy and not merely release record. Sometimes you want more, and an artist will tease you saying there's more, or things yet to come. There isn't any more.
As Graeme writes in the song "Evershall"
This world’s too big for just one lifetime
I’ve been here for years and I don’t know nothin'
Don’t know nothin'
There are some great tracks on this album, and is a wonderful epitaph to an artist many didn't get a chance to hear. Here's your chance.
If you were a fan of the Pukka Orchestra this is a must have.
Credits: Pictures are from the digital booklet for Because You Were There.
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