When I Was A Writer
Pravda, 2020
8/10
Although the rest of the world didn’t quite pick up on the greatness achieved by Matt Wilson’s late ‘80s/early ‘90s outfit Trip Shakespeare, here in Minnesota we were quite enthusiastic about their thriving band of alt-rock. These days, Wilson is back from a songwriting hiatus, and he’s got banjos and harps along with him on this debut record with His Orchestra.
The title track starts the listen with warm plucking as Wilson’s laid back vocals guide the rhythmic opener, and “Decent Guy” follows with some ambience before moving into folksy fun as Phala Tracey’s harp adds an ethereal backdrop and Jacques Wait’s bass lines get a bit funky.
In the middle, “Real Life” brings dreamy backing vocals into the melodic and airy setting, while “I Can’t Return” trims the pace back to elegant and agile with a harmonica amid a campfire-esque feeling. “Dirty Broken Lover”, a stand out tune, then finds a romantic place to reside with a lush delivery as Wilson works dynamically with the orchestra.
Near the end, “Space Cruising” is a percussively strong and especially playful tune, and “Mental Patients” exits the listen with a soaring beauty alongside some grit in Wilson’s pipes as the harp twinkles and the delivery glows.
A legend from the underground rock scene in Minneapolis, Wilson cut his teeth opening for Husker Du and The Replacements, and here he handles vocals, guitar and piano like the seasoned vet he is. Introspective and with much attention to mood, When I Was A Writer is entirely substance, as each song is carefully crafted and executed with rich textures and a timeless appeal.
Travels well with: The Twilight Hours- Black Beauty; Paul Westerberg- Come Feel Me Tremble