Simon Kempston
My Dreams Are Theirs
Self-Portrait Records
DESPITE being remarkably popular in such overseas territories as Germany and Canada, Dundee-born Simon Kempston remains something of an unknown quantity at home, which is something of a mystery given the increasingly fine solo albums he delivers. The latest, My Dreams Are Theirs, is possibly his most accomplished yet.
As an astute lyricist Kempston has never shied away from matters acutely personal and political. A recent song, A Tale of Two Unions, addressed no less than the political and socio-economic issues facing Scottish society; another, further back in time, The Last Car, looked at the fate of a worker thrown on the scrapheap after the closure of the Linwood car plant in 1981.
On this new album, one song, Where My Love Belongs, takes as its subject the helplessness Kempston felt when becoming a parent ("Should I read a manual, devour many texts?/And if the worry's natural, why am I so perplexed?"). Another, What Led You to This, is about a friend's gambling addiction - an issue that Kempston justifiably feels does not get the serious attention it deserves.
Another highlight, The Time For Talking Has Passed, reflects on what happens when war arises out of a tense situation and diplomacy fails. No prizes for guessing that what Kempston had in mind were the current conflicts involving Israel, Gaza and Lebanon, and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The opening track, Don't Let Her Hear You Say That, features cascades of his nimble, finger-picked acoustic guitar and sympathetic piano. His guitar style is as fluid as ever, reflecting the influence of such fingerpicking masters as Bert Jansch, Dick Gaughan, John Martyn and Mark Knopfler.
On the album, which was produced by Ian McCalman, formerly of the McCalmans, Kempston not only sings but plays guitar, piano, slide guitar and harmonica. It's the first time he has played all the instruments on any of his albums.
And, as is customary with Kempston's albums, repeated listening yields rewards.
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