5th of October 2012
Dan Stuart - The Deliverance of Marlowe Billings
There's no doubt that Dan Stuart was the heart and mind of Green on Red, long forgotten predecessor of what we call "Americana" today. You can feel it in every note of this album, made with Sacri Cuori, his Italian backing band. Although Antonio Gramentieri is not Chuck Prophet, nor Christian Ravaglioli is Chris Cacavas, Dan alone is more than enough to bring us back old memories and to deliver the same feeling. Frankly, the energetic level is few octaves lower than in Green on Red times, partly because of Italians who mellowed out the sound in Mediterranean way, partly because of his 50+ years of age, with last few spent in rehab from divorce and nervous breakdown ("....now I'm just searching through the pieces, looking for whatever's left of me"). Now, he is back, still trying to overcome the hard period in his life. This album is his cure and judging by a show described below remedy is effective. The Deliverance of Marlowe Billings secured it's place among my best albums of 2012 not with great singing (it isn't!), not with great songwriting (good, but not essential), not even with great playing (just competent), but with great outburst of emotions, like in psychotherapy session.
Dan Stuart & Sacri Cuori Live at Gun Club, Belgrade, 04.10.2012
Lucky me, I saw him with Sacri Cuori last night at Gun Club, with predominantly gray-headed audience enjoying the show. He was very communicative, mentioning Jeffrey Lee Pierce (association to the name of the venue "Gun Club"), Jonathan Richman (Old World cover) and Joe Strummer (announcing song "What are You Laughing About" as a tribute to him). He was trying very hard to play rock'n'roll, but with exaggerated foolish grimaces on his face during fast numbers, it seemed to me that this is part of his"out-of -depression" therapy. On the other side, in slow numbers he was on his territory, playing them even slower than on album, with more credibility. Generation gap was not an issue here, we understood each other very well, our problems may differ a little, but late middle age is late middle age. With the last song (an old Green on Red favorite) Little Things in Life, played in irresistible Tarantella rhythm (oooh those Italians!), he gives us the answer - enjoy little things in life and you'll easier make it through!
Little Things in Life live from the living room in Belgium (video I made from Gun Club have terrible audio, and is not usable)
