David Berkeley – Some Kind of Cure – (Straw Man Music)

In our continuing effort to review the works of current performers who would have been very well received at the Main Point (that is, had their careers existed at the time the Main Point was in operation)… We bring you the latest from the amazing David Berkeley!

Dubbed “a musical poet” by the San Francisco Chronicle and accompanied by, what the Boston Globe called “emotional story-telling lyrics, charismatic stage presence, and hilarious anecdotes”, David Berkeley has released Some Kind of Cure, an album rich with the images from the Mediterranean island of Corsica.

Berkeley’s philosophic and poetic lyrics have always set him apart from other singers of his generation. The songs on Some Kind of Cure feature his best writing yet, from the private whispers of a father to a son in the heartbreaking closing ballad “Winter Winds” to the roadside romance in the up-tempo “Parachute.” His voice has never sounded better. An immediate standout collection is “Steel Mill.” The 12/8 swinging time signature and lightly picked banjo give way to tight harmonies. The song embodies the community feel of the record. Berkeley stands out front while the backing pops up in all the right places. The banjo in particular draws comparison to early Iron & Wine. It feels lo-fi without trying too hard. The only strange thing about the song is a Berkeley’s straight smooth pipe. They’re the antithesis of the hard edge of the lyrics.

From there, Berkeley pushes even further into simple melody with “Shenandoah.” He sounds like he’s from a mountain church when he sings unaccompanied on the tune. Then, like a congregation, voices appear to back him. “Soldier’s Song” breaks from the quieter tune to a building electric guitar crescendo. “Marie” is another building folk rock anthem. Berkeley and the harmony are seamless.

David Berkeley is a romantic realist, known for his ability to look at the human condition in all its complexity and give us luminous songs full of sunshine and anguish, melancholy and delight. He brings the people and situations he sings about to vibrant life with a warm, rich tenor that often slips into an aching falsetto to underline the overwhelming emotions that can move us to tears or laughter.