Review: Philip Kane – Book Of Broken Things (2021)  

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Philip Kane is a London soul and art-rock singer and was previously the singer and chief songwriter in the bands Ennui and Avalanche, whose ‘Hangover Square’ album was produced by Cathal Coughlan. His first album with the then unnamed, Expendables was ‘Songs for Swinging Lovers’, his most recent, ‘Flowers and Ledges’, featured Mark Eitzel on backing vocals. `Book of Broken Things’ is his new album and is his fourth with his band, The Expendables. It also features performances from Boz BoorerEd HarcourtSteve Jansen and Fiona Brice as well as vocal performances from Emma Pollock, Liam McKahey of Cousteau, and Sharleen Hector. It is the work of a (formerly) dissolute man now in his fifties looking back on the death of close friends and the closest of all relations, glancing forward to his own glimpsed mortality and dallying a while to note the politics, both personal and social, of the day still being lived. It is, like all his work, darkly novelistic, politically trenchant, and ambitiously cinematic.

The album opens with `Eight Stone Tall And Handsome` a real slow burn but the first thing that hits you is the aching, brooding vocal delivery. It begins with twinkling piano keys; some edgy guitar and a laid-back drum beat before generating a much richer sound with some delightful backing harmonies and a sublime guitar solo. At times it veers a little toward spoken word. The addition of violin chords towards the end gives the number a slightly cinematic feel. There`s a much lighter more deft touch about `Here Comes An Avalanche` a soulful journey that allows the singer to showcase what a varied vocal range he retains, with backing harmonies that are really complementary.

`Official Secrets` has a much harder edge with pounding drums at the heart, not quite The White Stripes but just as powerful. A skewered guitar riff flits in and out and sections are taken over with the singer and a female cohort almost challenging each other in a vocal duel. I felt there was a touch of Elvis Costello for some reason on `Radio Friendly Death` before it takes a soulful vibe with the singer again enjoying some thrilling vocal backing from a female compatriot.

`Fuck Of Mr Chips` is something I certainly didn`t expect from the title. It`s a delightful quite charming number that is introduced by some superb acoustic guitar chards where you can hear the frets as fingers slide across them. The vocal is softly shared as it blossoms with a cymbal being tapped then a slight Latin style feel guides us along with percussion, a trumpet and a strummed guitar as the lyrics are rapidly distributed. We return to a much more mellow texture which leads us to the finish, with some brass swatches thrown in along this embryonic journey. We have a slow groove soul pop ballad with `Willow On The Hill` where the singer`s vocals are a lot deeper, the musical backing especially the violin really allowing the vocal to shine. A composition that i`m sure Prince would have been proud to call his own.

`The Eternity Of Small Things` seems a fairly reflective number that musically relays a sort of photographic impression of times or somebody close, long gone. Sharleen Hector joins the singer on `Hurricane Of Maggots` a funky captivating ride which relates some uplifting sentiments such as “may the world be as it used to be once again”, entrancing stuff.

`Seven Different Versions Of The Abyss` has a haunting saxophone leading us into this real jumble of sounds that swings through an almost drum and bass genre to a dreamy Steely Dan feature to a strange art rock quality. A track I found that wasn`t worth overthinking but just one to sit back and let it flow over you, A real joy. A shrieking saxophone releases `Full Pack Of Smokes` which rolls into a tenderly sung lazy Sunday afternoon jazzy atmospheric submission with synth keys, brushed drums, sax and flute tinges and some sweet backing harmonies which will leave you with a warm glow.

The album closes out with `The Death Of a Librarian` which has that sort of Burt Bacharach orchestrated ambience with some delectable horns gifted on route.

`Book of Broken Things’ is a quite breath-taking body of work. I have to confess that some of the lyrical content passed me by, but I was blown away with Philip Kane`s remarkable voice. It really has to be heard to be believed. He possesses such a heartfelt, emotive, and unique voice and can just glide between whatever category of music he puts his mind to.

Soul is not a music classification that I would normally listen to, but this is not strictly soul but offers so much more. But regardless of genre or type, listening to this artist`s voice and style, it`s a mystery as to why he isn`t a household name. In December, if there is any justice this release should be vying for album of the year but will it? Life, as they say is so unfair.

Rating 9 /10

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