Roger Chapman Life In The Pond (CD)

(Ruf Records) 11 tracks
Life In The Pond may be released after a long absence from the studio, but the now 79-year-old Chapman has remained prolific. A full twelve years after the acclaimed rarities collection Hide Go Seek, Life In The Pond reunites the veteran with some old companions - including his former Family colleague John "Poli" Palmer, who served as co-composer and producer. Musically, Life In The Pond makes the connection between all his primal influences.

In 1979, the album Chappo marks the beginning of his solo career. More than four decades later, he now brings the threads together with Life In The Pond - thanks in part to song contributions from John "Poli" Palmer and a fantastic guest appearance by his longtime colleague Geoff Whitehorn on guitar.

After the album kicks off with the deep groove, dirty vocals and heavy horns of "Dark Side Of The Stairs," songs like the hypnotic, seven-minute epic "Nightmare #5" and the dystopian soul-funk number "Rabbit Got The Gun" evoke a wide range of moods. "Having Us A Honeymoon" opens with a little snippet of Mendelssohn's Wedding March and ends as a singalong accompanied by honky-tonk piano.
At the other end of the spectrum is the surprisingly quiet "Lavender Heights," where Chapman relies entirely on his voice - discreetly accompanied by keyboard and strings - to convey human warmth and tenderness.

No question: his lyrics have bite. But the song "Naughty Child," which closes the album, shows that Chapman has not lost his idealism even at 79.
"When the world was young and foolish," he sings. "When the world was running wild..." With Life In The Pond, he raises his voice again, creating great art. "I'm very grateful to Poli for giving me this platform," he says. "I think we really put on a great performance."