Judge Smith - 2023 - The Trick of the Lock

(44:35; Masters of Art)

Track list:
1. Mission Creep 3:47
2. The Cosmic Commodore 4:13
3. The Trick of the Lock 3:37
4. Mercury 4:55
5. Skin in the Game 5:15
6. Nothing to See Here 3:17
7. Here’s the Thing 4:10
8. Best Before 5:02
9. The Little Flower 6:10
10. It’s Another Day 4:09

Line-up:
Judge Smith - vocals
Robert Pettigrew - piano, vocals


Prolusion.
UK composer and musician Judge Smith has a solo career that started all the way back in the late 1960's, but in progressive rock circles he will probably always be remembered as one of the original members of iconic progressive rock band Van der Graaf Generator. Just how many solo albums Smith has released over the years I don't know, but if the CD leaflet is to be trusted that number is 17. And at the tender age of 74 he is out with a new one. Released at the start of 2023 the album is called "The Trick of the Lock", and is out on the label Masters of Art. A label I guess is Smith's own label, due to its release history.

Analysis.
Just about the only progressive rock aspect of this production is Smith's own past with Van der Graaf Generator. The material we get here revolves around two elements only: Vocals and the piano. With some very occasional keyboard additions. The album cover states that these are piano songs, and while an accurate description it is also a misleading one, as that simple description doesn't really say anything about the virtues of this production.

These aren't merely piano songs. The piano is the key instrument of course, but what is truly special here is the combination of the vocals and the piano. Smith has a very expressive and compelling voice, delivering wry comments and sardonic remarks with the same ease as observations of whimsical situations and matters of a more grave nature. He is a storyteller blessed with a voice that at 74 can convey the high and the lows, the joyful and the sad, the fun and the serious with a compelling pathos where his aged voice emphasize that aspect of his delivery.  He has excellent tone control too, and use his decades of experience to add weight when needed, go for a more careful delivery when appropriate, and add vibrato or other vocal details to emphasize a point, a mood or an emotion. This is a master storyteller at work, it's as simple as that.

Pianist Robert Pettigrew is a seasoned hand as well, and while I understand he has his background in jazz that doesn't shine through all that much on this album. Instead he opts for a style of performance that support and emphasize the mood of Smith's vocals, with elegant wandering lines, tempo changes and impact notes delivered with a smooth hand, with the same excellent control of tone, timbre and intensity as Smith has over his vocal chords. Pettigrew also provides backing vocals functioning in pretty much the same manner as his piano playing, further strengthening the mood and atmosphere of the individual creations.

While I generally focus on the music when writing reviews, this is one of those occasions where the lyrics demand a description. A lot of work has gone into the messages conveyed in these songs, to the point where I wouldn't be surprised if this aspect of the material may be deemed as the most important by the creator. Two examples:

A tender shoot
A fragile root
And gardeners everywhere agree
There's many plants you should avoid
If you want to grow "Democracy"
- The Little Flower

Another day
Our masters makes excuses,
They make a bold retreat
A new defeat
They'll soon explain away
- It's Another Day

And if that point hasn't come across with clarity yet, I'll stress it: This is an impressive album on all fronts and all levels.

Conclusion.
While Judge Smith doesn't explore the realms of progressive rock on "The Trick of the Lock", he does explore the realm of some truly impressive music. A seasoned vocalist with a finely aged voice in full storyteller mode with total control of tone, timbre and intensity, backed by a piano player sharing the same virtues on his instrument, with tales to tell that are fun, thought provoking and with layers of depth that will occupy your mind. Described as merely piano songs, but for me at least this is something of a master class in the art of storytelling by way of vocals and piano. An album easy to recommend to people who love good, high quality music and well made stories told by way of music.

Olav "Progmessor" Björnsen, January 2023

Links:
http://www.judge-smith.com/