William Topley - Sea Fever
William Topley, born and
bred in England, nurtured on a diet of blues and rock and
roll, has been building a seriously dedicated fan base in
the U.S. ever since the release of Prince of the Deep Water
in 1991, his first album with his band The Blessing.
Producer Neil Dorfsman (Sting, Dire Straits) described him
as “the most original songwriter I’ve heard for
years.” The influences, still recognisable in his
music, were already there - The Stones, Van Morrison, the
best of soul and southern rock. Topley was on his way. The
album catapulted The Blessing into a world tour, videos in
Jamaica, TV stations in Paris and hockey stadiums in
Germany with Simply Red and Level 42.
Legendary Rolling Stones Producer Jimmy Miller, who
produced The Blessing’s second album Locusts and Wild
Honey, was equally enthusiastic. “They’re right
up my alley. I haven’t had such a good relationship
with a band since Traffic.”
Ever looking for new challenges, Topley decided to go solo
for his next album, the atmospheric Black River. And again
the fan base grew. Producer Barry Beckett said of Topley:
“He’s the best singer I’ve ever
heard.” Not bad, coming from a guy who’s worked
with Aretha Franklin and Paul Simon.
Next came Mixed Blessing, on which Topley worked with
guitarist/songwriter Dominic Miller, best known for his
work with Sting. “It’s only a matter of
time,” says Dominic about Topley. “Watch this
space!”
His next album, Spanish Wells, saw Topley straight off a US
tour and straight into the studio. For the first time,
Topley blended the premeditated songwriting process with
the excitement of live musicians making it all happen.
“It took me until now to understand the cryptic
comment ‘It’s all in the joy of
discovery,’ that Jimmy [Miller] made years
ago,” says Topley.
And that’s what Feasting with Panthers was about. The
songs, written on and off the road, were a journey of
discovery, painted against a big sky… tracing the
southern states down the coastline across the Triangle into
the Caribbean and the patois melting pot… taking a
white ship down to Portobello Bay.
The new album, ‘Sea Fever”, whose title track
is based on the poem by John Masefield, was once again
recorded with his band, (Luke Brighty – guitar, James
Eller – bass, Jim Kimberley – drums, Mark
Taylor – keyboards) and also features a cameo
performance by guitar legend Mark Knopfler, who says of
Topley: “He’s big-hearted, emotional and
strictly legit.”
Sea Fever was recorded over a period of time in studios
ranging from William’s own home set up to Steve
Winwood’s palatial room, via The Blessing’s old
standby in Woolwich, Studio 99. As with Feasting With
Panthers the material ranges far and wide in both music and
lyrics, from ‘Brian Jones’ (a tribute to the
Rolling Stones) to the ballad ‘Step Inside
Love’.
Once more the songs reflect William’s love of the
Caribbean, travel in all it’s senses both physical
and spiritual as well as the temptations of life, emotional
and sensual. It is at once cynical and yet also darkly
optimistic culminating in a unique sounding project that
stands up to multiple listenings as it reveals more and
more with each play.
The sound is muscular and sensitive, with the band
providing a suitably robust backing over which
Topley’s vocals soar and growl emoting each carefully
crafted lyric with a combination of dark rum and bitter
sweet reminiscence of journeys taken.
Listen to Sea Fever now for a taste of what Luke Lewis,
President of Lost Highway, calls “contemporary
British blues rock at its best”.
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