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Robin Grey: The Nearest Door (Album Review)

London’s finest breath of fresh air has returned to us once again.  And on his third outing, The Nearest Door, the lovely Robin Grey gets even more personal than we have heard in the past.  He has many a tale and lament to tell and confess.  With his distinctively English vocals, and beautiful interpretations of earth, sea, and love, this folk hero soars to his greatest heights even succeeding beyond his sophomore release Strangers With Shoes.  Which I will admit, seemed to be impossible.

It would be entirely advantageously ridiculous to try and decipher the star track from The Nearest Door.  The title track is exceptional to say the least.  “Mariam’s Cake” (which original appeared on the charity based compilation album Children of Mercy) is true work of art that is as gentle as a warming sea.  “The Ballad of Hawkwood” is a fun little ditty reminiscent of the golden ages of folk music.  Basically, each track is distinctive in it’s own right, and deserve praise for entirely distinctive reasons.

Grey puts a substational amount of time into creating a full fledged album.  This could be the reason we don’t hear from him in a full fledged fashion for almost three years.  This could also be why his entire catalog is completely solid in every way.  Every song this storyteller of our age seems to represent a certain time and place where emotions ran high, and a lesson from experience was definitely learned.  Like a warm cup of coffee on an autumn morning, Robin Grey drapes us with wonderful story based folk masterpieces like falling leaves on resting gently over the first sign of snow.  His voice is gentle and soothing, exactly what we need in these trying times.

Download: “Mariam’s Cake” by Robin Grey
[audio:111026-robin-grey-mariams-cake.mp3|titles=Mariam’s Cake|artists=Robin Grey]

[CD, 2011] 

1.  Mariam’s Cake
2.  These Songs Were Begun One Winter
3.  The Hackney Gentrification Song
4.  Stick Or Twist
5.  Looking For Distraction
6.  The Freezer Song
7.  The Ballad of Hawkwood
8.  This Ungodly Hour
9.  The Permaculture Song
10. The Nearest Door

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