Long March Through The Jazz Age. The Saints

Posthumous albums are not always of extreme interest. Nice to have as fan of a band or artist. Where The Saints are concerned there is no previous relationship with me. Okay, I sang background vocals on the chorus of 'Under The Milky Way', that at the time in Vilnius' town hall I was able to do to my big surprise. 'Under The Milky Way' is one of the favourites of the band I sing with at some international conferences. Never mine.

After the summer this year, I listened to a single that had been released, 'Empires (Sometimes We Fall)'. The song opens Long March Through The Jazz Age. The single struck a chord with me immediately and I made a note to listen to the album come the time. And here I am nearly three months later.

Chris Bailey is the name that I had encountered in the past forty years but the reviews never made me interested to listen to one of The Saints' albums. Perhaps, based on this album, I have whole decades to backtrack. I won't, as there's too much new music to follow already. On the release of the single, I found that Bailey had died in 2022 and this collection are the songs he left behind orphaned.

To my surprise the songs are even older, far older. They were recorded in the fall of 2018 in Sydney (that would make it our spring?). Long time drummer Pete Wilkinson joined, as did producer and touring guitarist Sean Carey and guitarist Davey Lane. Where so wished other instruments come in as you will find. Together they made a great record. There's no other word for it. Fun fact, the album can also be used in a 'Hitster' like game, as you will find several familiar quotes in the lyrics. It makes the album not one filled with leftovers but one that, for whatever reason, was not released until eight years after recording it. We are the richer for it.

Most songs are in a mid tempo, built around an acoustic guitar. Just wait until you get round to the riff laden 'Bruises', where the electric guitars are in the lead. Although several songs sound "simple" in the way of the chord structure, the way it is played and on top of it all Chris Bailey's voice is what make Long March Through The Jazz Age such a fine album. Life did make this album Bailey's swan songs, and what kind of a swan song. For me its the best the band ever released......

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

 

You can listen to and order Long March Through The Jazz Age here:

https://thesaintsmusic.bandcamp.com/album/long-march-through-the-jazz-age