Living in the Fast Lane is a relaxing sort of comfort. Peter Napthine’s folk, combined with a smooth jazz sensibility, create a wonderful style akin to a postmodern James Taylor sort of vibe. The album searches for the humble truth oft passed by in such fast-paced times.
Don’t be fooled by Peter Napthine’s new album’s title, Living in the Fast lane, as it isn’t a description of the music, but rather, this album is meant to slow one down, relax the commuter spirit, and give reprieve to the stressed out, pulling you off of the freeway into a simpler, happier world. Living in the Fast Lane is more like forty minutes spent in the carpool lane, in a relaxing sort of comfort, watching the peons speed by on their way to nothing of particular importance, Peter a humble narrator driving a tour bus full of metro-hippy folk artists on their way to a music festival where people don’t wear shoes and the audience smells funny (in a good way). So sit back and relax, forget about the fast and the reckless masses, and start noticing what is missed in life by such an impatient pace.
The advice on the album is wonderful. In the true style of folk mentors before him, the lyrics speak of everyday problems resolved with a unique perspective. On a personal note, I must say I love it when artists include lyric sheets. It’s a bit pretentious this day and age to hide what you’re saying, unless it is political or controversial. Since these are mostly light-hearted love songs there is no need to hide anything. Advice hits home in lines like “I just don’t know who to listen to. Tell me who speaks the truth? Is it the child, the man, or the mother in me?” I would venture, all three!
While Peter may need a little vocal discipline, his poetry is spot on. Sometimes the story goes from romance to grim reality, noting suffering in cause and effect, a mentality we could all do more with these days. Due to the surrounding illusion of technology we oft forget the interconnectedness that may make our lives more comfortable; we strip the resources from another’s homeland, and indirectly from the children of those families. Something Peter doesn’t forget. The music industry could use more sustainable attitudes like this that help to support those who are struggling, instead of being hypersexual or blasé with wealth, the whole point of song was to spread the news those in charge didn’t want to fess up to. News for the common folk! Napthine maintains a voice for the lower-middle class whose wisdom extends far beyond social struggle, to the felt experience of the individual caught up in these circumstances. Despite the problems, a positive outlook is always maintained and one can feel the faith exuding from the songs.
Napthine has a peculiar way of approaching note resolution. It is obvious that he’s not pulling air from a correct posture, and a lot of notes start out from the throat and nose, slightly sharp. This effect is almost always present at the beginning of songs, but usually by the chorus he pulls it together and sings from the soul. Peter desperately needs to start each song with the same type of energy he finishes with. Consistency would help more then anything at this point.
In Sickness, Peter’s formation of vowels cause the low bass notes go slightly out of tune. His diction slurs the words about until he sounds a bit knackered on a few songs. However, it is appropriate to the subject matter, but the S-s-s-sickness in the chorus shouldn’t make one want to p-p-p-puke; swaying effects on the consonant induce nausea in me. Most prefer music technicality to melodramatic performance style. However, it is appropriate, just not pleasant, like foul medicine that ultimately heals, but tastes horrid.
The back-up musicians Peter has collected are wonderful and a great compliment to his subtle, yet beautiful, guitar parts. Alexandre Dalòia’s Flute playing is especially pleasant, adding much needed melody to Wonderful Girl and empowering Peter’s voice on Martin’s Tears. The feeling produces a sort of laid back jazz to the folk vibe. Smooth bass and easy-going drums add more to a sense of mutating folk when it was evolving into rock. The choir is especially lovely on A Thousand Yesterdays. Their addition could have really boosted a few of the quieter songs into incredible chorus crescendo. As it is, they are like a treasure in the midst of all the simplicity. Truly, a great group of artists support Peter’s work and accentuate it in every way.
This mesh of daft folk style, smart poetry, and unique vocals produces a sound akin to James Taylor doing an impersonation of Weird Al Yankovic playing a collection of serious songs, though Peter Napthine is usually more pleasant to listen to with a couple of exceptions. Living in the Fast Lane is a well produced collection of songs, cohesive and well thought out. Though perhaps it is a bit oddly titled, one might think of it as pulling over out of the fast lane and taking the scenic route. There is nothing fast about this album, just slow relaxing folk sure to charm your overwhelmed senses, and help you forget the worries of a stressful day. One can feel that Peter genuinely cares, such heart and soul are rare to find these days; the music echoes the passion that he exemplifies in his fast lane life that is balanced with peaceful music.
Reviewed By Julian Gorman
