Album review: Analogue Graveyard by Dean Johnson

Sep 14 2011 Chester Chronicle

DEAN JOHNSON/Analogue Graveyard (self-release, available through www.deanjohnsonmusic.co.uk)

ALBUM REVIEW/by Grahame Rhodes

WITH his ongoing and highly successful “Bullets & Daffodils” project taking up much of his time – celebrating the life and works of Great War soldier and poet, Wilfred Owen – Birkenhead singer-songwriter Dean Johnson has found time to put out this fine collection of unreleased material, “Analogue Graveyard” – as he puts it on the sleeve . . . “these aren't out-takes – they are the best takes left off projects due to being too good!” It's a generous 18-track album, including contributions from song of his musical friends such as Mal Holmes of OMD, Henry Priestman, Graeme Clark of Wet Wet Wet, The Christians and Nick Harper.

Dean Johnson is much-admired in these quarters . . . a fine writer who deals in the 'hard knock' school of life and romance, and sometimes with admirable black humour, and he is never afraid of a political opinion. His sleeve notes shed light on the tracks . . . Dean opening up with recording details and anecdotes . . . . to add to the enjoyment of his superb songs here. The guy should definitely be a lot more prominent and popular than he is!

The opening song is the lovely, haunting “Journey Within”, with Mal Holmes, a tune that was shelved in 2005 and finished this year in Germany, complete with a narrated Auden poem by Jo Moon; the following “Silence Is Its Own Reply” gained lots of attention when it originally came out. Initially containing an unreleased George Harrison lyric, but here we have the revised version minus said lyric . . . still a beautiful song and one of Dean's finest moments.

The pace changes for the excellent “Upon My Soul” with Henry Priestman and various members of Paul Carrack's band on board, this uptempo joyous version was shelved for Dean's “Soul System” album in favour of a bluesy acoustic version. From 2005, when Johnson admits he was not in a 'good place', comes the gentle “Yesterday's Dream”, recorded in a shed with Marc Joy . . . a song he loves himself and again quite haunting and beautiful.

“New York Times” tells a tale of “someone that came back from a long time ago and knocked me off my feet” . . . written on a rooftop with writer Gavin Martin and a naked woman! Johnson says in his notes this could be his best ever song and indeed it is a belter! He is joined by The Christians on the soulful “Keep It To Myself”, a band he often used to support on tour, and this was recorded in the Caribbean no less.

Other highlights are the ode to his home town of Birkenhead, “Reality Town” . . . with Johnson telling it like it is in a Northern working-class town; “Mary's Song” is one of my favourite's, the version here is just the vocal and guitar track, minus strings and drums. He shows his sense of humour on the wry “Police, Vets And Cookery”, recorded live with Nick Harper, from his first major tour supporting Squeeze, that resulted in “The Road To Hull” album.

He accompanies himself on piano on the harrowing and sparse “Eyes Of Childhood”, before the very ELO-influenced “I'm So Happy I Could Cry”, recorded with Wet Wet Wet, and the chorus eventually ended up in another song, “Cappuccino Angel”. The collection ends with the great “Ruby”, here sung by Chris Braide . . . a lovely performance of a really fine song.