Albert Lee
Album: Highwayman
Label: Palm Bridge
Tracks: 12
Website: http://albertlee.co.uk

There's Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana, Jimi Hendrix, Vince Gill and so many more but you have to add Albert Lee to this finest ever guitar player list, not just for his guitar pickin' but also for him being a true British talent.

Having started out with Chris Farlowe and the Thuderbirds and giggin' with many he then formed Heads, Hands & Feet with Chris Hodges. In fact over the years he has performed with so many artists. Emmylou Harris specifically requested that Albert join her Hot Band of the seventies after James Burton resumed full time as Elvis Presley's guitarist. Out of the many he has worked with over the years the ones who he has stayed closest to are the Everly Brothers. It is on this latest raw, personal and stripped down almost acoustic album Highwayman that he shows how much of an influence they have been. He has hand selected four of their songs (three of which are written by the renowned Felice and Boudleaux Bryant) on this twelve track tribute album to Albert's all time influences.

It is a wonder why Albert hasn't had bigger success as a solo artist as on this album it isn't just his guitar and piano playing that stands out but also his smooth effortless vocals. The first of the four Everly tracks 'Bye Bye Love' starts things off and it isn't just a standard run of the mill cover. Mike Berry accompanies Albert on harmony and guitar duties. Albert passionately sings the unforgettable lyrics and it is a strong start. The very poignant Richard Thomson song 'Dimming of The Day' is next where there have been some very emotional heart wrenching versions over the years. This is another fine performance with just Albert and the guitar and a few backing vocals from Freddy Schloemer. Despite the sombre lyrics you can't help but being captivated from start to finish.

Another Everly track picks things up slightly with 'Hey Doll Baby'. The lyrics roll off Albert's tongue not just with the familiarity of them having toured with the original performers for many years since their reunion in the eighties but also through his obvious love of these specially chosen tracks. Jimmy Webb's 'Highwayman' is performed as majestically as the other famous versions with extra instrumentation on this of drums and keyboards (courtesy of Jason Harrison Smith and John "J.T." Thomas). Albert's pianism is superb and his vocals are once again strong and powerful. The pace is a little slower on the quite haunting Jesse Winchester 'Skip Rope Song'. These last two songs show that Albert is as talented on a piano as he is on the guitar.

The slower Everly/Boudreaux Bryant 'Like Strangers' combination is next. Albert is once again helped out on harmony vocals by Mike Berry. The influential tributes are fantastically performed in the best way possible with minimal instrumentation and crisp clear vocals. Why would Albert want to recreate these gems in any other way as his musicianship and vocals are evidentially second to none?

The obvious familiarity connection with Albert's next choice of track is Emmylou Harris with the Rodney Crowell written 'Till I Can Gain Control Again'. This was included on Emmylou's Elite Hotel album and here Albert delivers a very passionate vocal and piano accompaniment. It's not just an album of gentle tunes as the pace is picked up on 'Keep A Knockin' albeit not as fast as the Little Richard original as it is sung and played at a comparably leisurely pace. This song harks back to some of Albert's earlier Rock 'n' Roll influences before he decided to get more involved with country. Staying in the same era for the Bobby Darin 'Eighteen Yellow Roses' a song of unrequited love with lyrics "I opened up the card to see, what it said, I couldn't believe my eyes, when I had read, though you belong to another I love you anyway". You cannot fault any of these songs and I've heard it said before and I truly believe the saying about 'singing the phonebook' being applied here. I would still be as captivated and engrossed in the music no matter which songs were chosen.

The final Everly selection is 'Sleepless Nights' and I think on this Albert's vocal sounds the closest to the original as it has done on all of his selections. This is not a bad thing as some songs do not need changing or altering and this song is one of them. Albert sticks to the arrangement and as always pulls it off in sublime fashion. There just had to be a Buddy Holly classic and this comes in the form of 'Well All Right' and to complete a truly wonderful collection is 'A Better Place' from the Glen Campbell farewell Ghost on the Canvas album. It's the most recent of all the interpretations and it's unsurprisingly as emotive, reflective and touching as the original.

I have been truly captivated by this Albert Lee album. His selection of songs tell a story of his journey of influences as a musician and performer while demonstrating his talents are not just as a hotly sought after guitarist and musician but he is a magnificent multi-instrumentalist, vocalist and artist in his own right.

Craig Parry