Campus CD Collection Blowin' Indie Wind Peter Bruntell's 2002 Release Doesn't Stack Up

Author: Erika Mercer

It's strikingly fitting that Peter Bruntnell's two most recent albums, "Ends of the Earth" and "Normal for Bridgwater," were respectively released under the record labels Back Porch Records and Slow River Records. If you close your eyes and soak in either album, it would be easy to imagine yourself out on the back porch of a shanty, lazing in a creaky rocking chair, watching the Midwestern sunset. You have a glass of lemonade beside you that's dripping a ring of moisture onto the small wooden table. Now and then you swat at the several flies that buzz aimlessly about. Below you, there's a dog lying motionless in the cool, dusty earth beneath the porch, fast asleep. Behind the house, there's a small, ambling river, the sound of which lulls you softly to sleep.
It's impossible to definitively state that Peter Bruntnell sings country music, or even alt-country. He doesn't — he challenges country. He invents his own genre of music: A softer Tom Petty, a smoother Tom Waits, a louder Nick Drake, a rougher Nick Cave. Not to mention that he's an Englishman merely donning a Midwestern drawl and drone for the occasion and ending up sounding more American than Wyatt Earp and Daniel Boone combined (with the exception of the distinctively British "That sounds lovely" commentary on sound checks).
Born in New Zealand to Welsh parents, Bruntnell moved as a small child to South London, where, with the exception of extensive time periods spent in Vancouver, Canada, he's set up camp ever since. Though having to fight against the current of popular UK music when he first came onto the scene in the early 1990s with his version of American alt-country, Bruntnell persisted and found his niche in the world of playing noisy, crowded, English bars. Known for being a man of few (but well chosen) words, Bruntnell commanded these bars during his sets with his silently strong stage presence.
In 1995, Bruntnell debuted with the album, "Cannibal," followed closely thereafter by 1997's release, "Camelot in Smithereens." Louder and more rocking than his recent work, these two albums achieved only mediocre success and recognition. It wasn't until the release of "Normal for Bridgwater" in 2000 that Bruntnell decidedly found his sound. "Bridgwater" is that glass of lemonade on a hot day and that steamy cocoa with marshmallows on a cold day. The lyrics, accompanied by a very western American sound (acoustic guitars, whining electrics and pedal steel), are subtle, quietly witty, self-degrading, romantic and humble. Even the title of the album reflects this understated profundity — the doctors in Bridgwater, England, apparently use the abbreviation, NFB (Normal for Bridgwater) when describing their test results for slightly disturbed — or slightly eccentric — local patients. As Rolling Stone claimed, "Normal is anything but."
On Aug. 27, Bruntnell released what he called the continuation of "Normal for Bridgwater," titled, "Ends of the Earth."
Recorded in London with long-time band mates James Walbourne on guitar, Peter Noone on bass and Mick Clews on drums, "Ends of the Earth," though still full of Bruntnell's charm, barely suffices as the follow-up to "Bridgwater." Although the album is beautiful in its subtlety and calmness, it lacks the introspective lyrics that made "Bridgwater" so hypnotic and unforgettable.
In some instances on "Ends," the lyrics are downright trite and hardly digestible: "If it wasn't for you, the sky would be blue / Why'd you make it so hard, and take everything to heart."
Still, there are redeeming points to be found, for example the second to last song, "Murder in the Afternoon," which features birds crooning softly behind a slow, dreamy melody and Bruntnell's cracked voice — all of which stand in complete juxtaposition to the intense and disturbing lyrics, which describe a murder in raw detail: "I placed a pillow on her face while she was asleep / and held it down till she lay still and no more will she weep."
Another highlight on the album is "One Drink Away," a lonesome, sad song with a strong drum presence and catchy tune.
In "Ends of the Earth," Bruntnell opts for the safe bet — he uses his serene voice and gentle sound to produce decent songs, taking no huge chances and therefore making no huge steps forward.
In comparison with "Normal for Bridgwater," the suggested introductory album to Bruntnell's music, "Ends of the Earth" remains unsatisfying — a disappointing release for such a talented musician, though still a respectable album in and of itself.
Bruntnell offers more information on his Web site: www.peterbruntnell.co.uk.