New records from Ray

Record Review: Song for a Friend and Makes Me Think of Home by Ray Wilson

It is rare for an artist to release two studio albums in the same year, something that would normally leave them short of material, but Ray Wilson has done exactly that in 2016. July saw the appearance of Song for a Friend, followed in October by Makes Me Think of Home, meaning he has put out no fewer than twenty new songs in just a few months. Although these two albums are quite different in feel and were released separately, Wilson had originally intended them to form a double album (provisionally titled Backseat Drivers) and I bought them both at the same time so to me it makes sense to review them together.


Both albums have very personal titles and provide an insight into Wilson's thoughts and feelings. Song for a Friend is dedicated to a close friend who killed himself after an accident confined him to a wheelchair, something Wilson still struggles to come to terms with, and the title track's depiction of the friend's troubles is quite dark but touchingly rendered and avoids being morbid. The home he is thinking of in Makes Me Think of Home is Scotland, a place where he had difficulty finding peace and harmony before moving to Poland, so these aren't the usual pleasant nostalgic thoughts that might be expected from such a title.

Song for a Friend

An acoustic album with strong folk and country influences, Song for a Friend is very different from Wilson's grunge and prog-rock background with Stiltskin and Genesis, and shows his versatility as an artist. The first time I heard this I was struck by how much it sounds like it could be an Eagles album, both in terms of musical style and vocals, and here Wilson sounds part Glenn Frey and part Bob Dylan. It isn't a heavily produced album and is intended to give the intimate and stripped-down feel of an unplugged concert that tells a story through the music.

This is a very thoughtful and melancholic album that reflects on the ups and downs of life, and although quite dark at times there is always an element of hope that prevents it from ever becoming depressing. The opening track 'Old Book on the Shelf' sets the tone nicely with its depiction of picking up a forgotten old book, and the rest of the album could be the story contained within. The first half, up to and including 'How Long is Too Long', covers some gloomy topics but in a thought-provoking way, and avoids depressing the listener in the way a Leonard Cohen song might. In particular 'Over My Dead Body' and 'Cold Light of Day', as their rather ominous titles suggest, are songs of bitterness, jealousy, frustration and regret, difficult emotions we've all felt at times that are beautifully expressed.

After all this emotional turmoil, 'Not Long Till Springtime' (the first single) expresses new and more positive feelings of hope and sets the stage for a lighter second half. Wilson wrote this for his dancer partner after she injured herself and it promises that although things may look bad now they will get better soon, moving on nicely from the bleakness of the lyrics so far. 'Backseat Driving' recounts the experiences of life on the road, while 'Parallel Souls' is quite philosophical, exploring the dimensions of spirituality and alternative existences, and 'Tried and Failed' is a simple yet catchy little piece that starts to introduce more instruments and break from the strictly acoustic feel.

Wilson is apparently a big fan of Pink Floyd and Song for a Friend ends with a cover of their song 'High Hopes', a rare example of a cover being included on one of his albums. This begins in the largely acoustic way of the rest of the album, but changes its feel towards the end and brings it to a close with a stirring electric guitar solo by Uwe Metzler that is surprisingly reminiscent of Brian May's work with Queen. When listening to both records together, this provides a great bridge to link the intimacy of Song for a Friend with the more rock-like Makes Me Think of Home and shows how they might have worked as a double album. Song for a Friend is an interesting dichotomy really: on the surface its simple arrangement makes it pleasant and relaxing background music, but listen a little more closely and you'll soon find the lyrics are actually very intense and emotional, not what you might expect from a seemingly lightweight acoustic album.

Makes Me Think of Home

On the other hand, Makes Me Think of Home is a more sophisticated and complex work with a full band and greater production, but is equally emotional. This one shows more influence from Wilson's past bands, but is just as different from his Genesis album Calling All Stations and has more of a country-rock than prog-rock feel, again with similarities to the Eagles and maybe also a bit of Gerry Rafferty. It sees the return of drummer Nir Zidkyahu, who played on the Calling All Stations album and follow-up tour, along with Lawrie MacMillan, Ali Ferguson, Steve Wilson and Steffi Hoelk from the Genesis Classic shows, so there is some continuity from Wilson's other endeavours.

This album opens with the U2-inspired 'They Never Should Have Sent You Roses', a strong song of love and loss but also cunningly hinting at the Scottish referendum. This is followed by the hard rock of 'The Next Life', on which Wilson's shouty and grungy vocals unexpectedly put me in mind of Chad Kroeger on Nickelback's 'How You Remind Me', a far cry from the sensitivity of Song for a Friend and a striking illustration of his vocal versatility. 'Tennessee Mountains' is a particular favourite of mine and with its American influences wouldn't be out of place on a Don Henley album, and the next track 'Worship the Sun' follows a similar theme of waiting for something that may never come. These two link perfectly together: in the wintry atmosphere of 'Tennessee Mountains' he says he will wait until the summer, only to find in 'Worship the Sun' that summer has arrived and he is still waiting.

The title track is the longest on either album at eight minutes, and this is the one that shows the greatest Genesis influence in its instrumental section, although the use of the flute and saxophone distinguishes it from his work with the band. This and 'Amen to That' both explore the same idea of leaving a homeland in search of something better but in very different ways: while the former is a melancholic look back at the troubled memories of a past life, the latter is far more upbeat, positive and hopeful of a fresh start. It seems a worthy choice of first single with its catchy hook line and an amusing MTV-friendly video, a marked contrast to much of Wilson's rather serious work and a light-hearted interlude.

'Anyone Out There' brings things crashing back down to earth with the grim reality of self-destruction through drugs and alcohol, and this song really shows the soulful nature of Wilson's voice that wasn't always apparent in his Genesis vocals. 'Don't Wait For Me' is pleasant yet unremarkable, but 'Calvin and Hobbes' is an interesting little song that provides a break from the intensity of much of the album. Clearly inspired by the cartoon duo, it focuses on the innocence, imagination and simple pleasures of childhood in contrast to the emotional turmoil of adults expressed in other songs. It is followed by 'The Spirit', a catchy western number with whistling cowboys in the same vein as ELO's 'Wild West Hero' that ends the album on a pleasing note. 


Those who expected Ray Wilson's solo work to sound like the songs he recorded with Genesis may feel a little disappointed by these albums, but they show another side to him that increases his impressive diversity as a performer. Compare a song such as 'Old Book on the Shelf' with 'Inside' from his Stiltskin days and it is hard to believe they are sung by the same man as they are just so different. I find myself repeating once again what I have written before about Ray Wilson: his latest work just reinforces my opinion that he is a superb and hugely underrated singer and songwriter who deserves to be much better known than he is. His lyrics have a surprising sophistication that is beautifully expressed by his very fine voice so I would highly recommend both of these new albums.

Track listings

Song for a Friend

1. Old Book on the Shelf
2. Over My Dead Body
3. Cold Light of Day
4. Song for a Friend
5. How Long is Too Long
6. Not Long Till Springtime
7. Backseat Driving
8. Parallel Souls
9. Tried and Failed
10. High Hopes

Makes Me Think of Home

1. They Never Should Have Sent You Roses
2. The Next Life
3. Tennessee Mountains
4. Worship the Sun
5. Makes Me Think of Home
6. Amen to That
7. Anyone Out There
8. Don't Wait For Me
9. Calvin and Hobbes
10. The Spirit