WILLIAM BLAKE'S SONGS OF INNOCENCE AND OF EXPERIENCE
An album that defies expectations.
Reviewed by Wildy Haskell
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It might not be entirely accurate to call Victor Vertunni a renaissance man. Renaissance implies a rebirth of sorts, whereas Vertunni comes across as an old musical soul; not so much plucking items from the past and giving them new voice, but speaking and singing from some deep ancestral or universal memory that has never required remaking. The attraction to the works of William Blake seems almost natural in this light. Blake was renowned in his time for both the musical flow of his poetry, but also for the melodies he would craft for them, almost by accident. Without any formal music training, Blake was cited by music professors of his and later times for his musical ability. While none of that music has filtered down through the years, Victor Vertunni has provided fitting musical backdrops for Blake's creations. The album, William Blake's Songs Of Innocence And Of Experience, is an often seamless marriage between Blake's fluid poetry and Vertunni's arrangements.
William Blake's Songs Of Innocence And Of Experience opens with "The Lamb", a wonderfully-written piece of baroque pop. The opening is a gorgeous, four-part vocal tour-de-force, and vocal harmonies dominate the sound throughout. "Nurse's Song" is a bit more reserved in presence, but still rests strongly on the interplay of voices. There's a traditional Celtic feel here that's appealing, in spite of the polished sound. Vertunni launches next into "A Little Lost Boy", weaving through a simple guitar-driven arrangement with a melody line that's more run-on than progression. Vertunni's guitar work is fine, creative gentle accents around what is essentially a solid melody...Vertunni's voice is untrained, but with an appealing, earthy sound, one of those voices where small imperfections seem to nearly conduct the vocalist's sound and make it greater rather than less.
"I Prophetic See (from The Little Girl Lost)" is an intriguing staccato instrumental with a spoken word overdub. The use of what sounds like typewriter here as a sort of rhythm melody early on is very appealing and adds an interesting texture to the song. Vertunni's arrangement for "My Pretty Rose Tree" is lively and dark, invoking an almost Baroque Celtic style that is intriguing. Vertunni doesn't linger over this one too long, allowing the song to create its own distinct and compelling impression.
On "The Fly", Vertunni adopts a 1970's singer/songwriter pastiche, sounding a bit like a Jethro Tull lounge act in the process. The free form sax solo at the end is intriguing. "The Tyger" is a quiet celebration that's full of beauty. William Blake's Songs Of Innocence And Experience wraps with "The Voice Of An Ancient Bard", a spoken word piece with music that doles out wisdom in rhyming verse. It's an apt closer for an album that defies expectations.
Victor Vertunni is hardly the first songwriter to tackle William Blake's Songs Of Innocence And Of Experience, and he's unlikely to be the last. Vertunni gets some of this wonderfully right. White Vertunni's voice is enigmatic and unpolished at times; he has some wonderful voices around him. William Blake's Songs Of Innocence And Of Experience is worth spending some time on.
Review by: Wildy Haskell
Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)