Skatman Meredith's self-titled debut brought him to the attention of Silent Planet Records, home of Jan Krist, and they have licensed this release, as well as signing him for three further records. There is certainly a fuller sound here--a wider variety of instruments and more electric guitar than on the acoustic-only debut--but the overall sound is still fairly folky. Meredith's tuneful vocals are very reminiscent of James Taylor, and he uses them to good effect, staying within his range. There are faint traces of REM in the jangly guitars that sometimes crop up, but they remain faint.
The artists on this label have a good reputation for their songwriting skills. The Garden shows growth from Meredith's debut. While some choruses and the odd phrase could do with more work, the songwriting is well-balanced and shows a lot of potential. The songs have trials alongside the hope and joy, which sits better with this reviewer than the almost overwhelmingly positive lyrical content of Skatman Meredith. That's not to say that these lyrics aren't still mostly positive; they just seem more balanced.
Backwards and forwards my insides doubt
That I have the means to figure these things out
If it is written that no one can boast
Why is it some feel he loves them the most?
Christ came for the homeless, the loveless, the hopeless
Confounding the self-righteous, the close-minded, with His authority
So I feel the loving grasp of broken hands, pierced hands
Lifting me with power, o'er the rampart to the garden."
(from "The Garden")
Possibly the most atmospheric track on the album, "The Garden" is shaped around Meredith's finger-picked guitar, with touches of an Indian-sounding stringed Balalaika (also played by Meredith), and bass, keyboards, and percussion brought in by Marc Moss. The album's production is by those two, and it holds up better than most indie releases (which this initially would have been) but isn't quite in the big league--being on a label will hopefully help in this department when it comes to the next recording from Meredith.
The other track which sticks in my mind after the album finishes is "Wrecking Ball," the album's most hummable number. The song has a nice chugging sound, driven by guitars and bass, and a touch of piano in places. The lyrics seem to be questioning the power that violence seems to have acquired in our world, as viewed from an eternal perspective:
Here come the terrorists sneaking around
Wielding machine guns out in the crowd
They got those hand grenades they're pulling the pins
They think they're better than us, they think they can win
Here come the wrecking ball
I find that the track "Big Idea" grates on my ears a little--Meredith's voice seems squashed and at times thin, and the repetitive use of the title phrase seems poor. There is still plenty of room for development in Meredith's music. Nevertheless, this album shows an artist striving for quality in his art, presenting truth through that art, and growing as he does so.
3 tocks
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