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The Storyman

Chris de Burgh - The Storyman Audio CD

A fair review of the Chris de Burgh "The Storyman" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Chris de Burgh reviews here, or go back to the Chris de Burgh tabs.

Band: Chris de Burgh
Title: The Storyman
Rating:

Release Date: 2006-11-06
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Storyman Theme 2: One World 3: Leningrad 4: My Father's Eyes 5: Grace of a Dancer 6: Spirit 7: Shadow of the Mountain 8: Raging Storm 9: Mirror of the Soul 10: Sweetest Kiss of All 11: Storyman 12: My Father's Eyes (Ft Hani Hussein)

Astounding album from the brilliant Chris De Burgh
The Storyman carries this idea to its zenith with a collection of incredible tracks. Throughout his musical career, Chris De Burgh has offered albums filled with beautiful, creative and imaginative songs.

"One World" is the perfect expression of spiritual and secular equality. Performed and sung beautifully, it is one of De Burgh's finest moments. The heart wrenching "The Shadow Of The Mountain" and uplifting "Raging Storm" are both utterly beautiful. "The Sweetest Kiss Of All" is a touching love song with a fantastic melody. "The Mirror Of The Soul" is classic storytelling in musical form while "The Storyman" is a synopsis of all that is De Burgh and his career in one song.

The album, as a collection, is complete, cohesive and well recorded. Each track stands as an example of the best in songwriting from practically any artist in popular music.

I am personally devastated by the power and beauty of this album. Chris De Burgh has impressed me once again. It's an incredible musical accomplishment.

Chris de Burgh - The Storyman
A new DeBurghy experience? Well, it surely is. . and what an exceptional experience!
Now that I've listened to the album several times, day after day I believe more than ever in the Genius and Most Creative and Inventive artist, composer, writer and performer of all times.
When I read that "Genius is made, not born" in "How to think like Leonardo da Vinci" by "Michael J. Gelb", "The Storyman" came to confirm that point to me. . . . so crystal clear!
All throughout his career, a long journey of continuous creativity, Chris de Burgh always had something new to offer, so many surprises to his fans and lovers, for the critics and lovers of music and art.

As an artist and designer myself, I was really thrilled by the design of the whole CD package. So refined and simple yet with great artistic quality, the designs are straightforward to convey the theme, so unique indeed! When the songs send us to a journey in time and space, the cover design, the booklets (stories and lyrics) and the CD cover itself (along with the back cover) make us wander into the transcendental blue sky, the infinite universe and, of course, the earth right in the centre (our "One World"). The symbolism of Chris's three photos with the earthy balls is so very well conceived and represented. I love the colour transition in the blue. Therefore, we are moving visually in this world of times and spaces as much as we are moving with songs!

Talking about the songs, what a thrilling experience it is to listen to each song while reading the stories behind each song first, then taking a second round to carefully read the poetic lyrics, paying attention to every word while having the stories stored in our memory. Every song is a story, a fable carrying direct and subliminal messages for a better world, a hopefully "One World"!

For the first time I cannot tell which song is a favourite since the whole album in a great unity by itself with all its diversity in terms of space, time, stories, locations, songs etc. . . . and here also lies the genius of tying different stories from different backgrounds to form a unique harmony.

The last song in terms of track listing - "The Storyman" - is definitely the synthesis, the answer, and the song that binds all other songs together, forming this great unity; who else than this great "storyman" can be beside Chris de Burgh and take him from one place to another in time and space? Obviously, this storyman is the genius and is Chris de Burgh himself addressing his fans in a magical character.

For a moment, I think that this integral album is a musical, and when I go back in time in the "Man on the Line" section of the site, I recall Chris de Burgh answering that he is thinking of making a musical, and if I am not mistaken, he is preparing for one.
The beginnings started in "The Road to Freedom" and grew so elaborate and mature in this latest new opus by Chris de Burgh; "The Storyman".
.

High on emotion.
I have since bought all of his studio albums. I have been listening to Chris De Burgh since 1982 when he released his excellent "The Getaway" album. I have been waiting for some time for Chris to return to his storytelling roots, something he's been avoiding for over a decade if you asked me. Storytelling is what he does best, and it's one of his defining features as an artist.

"The Storyman" reaffirms the best in Chris De Burgh. After repeated listening all of the details in songcraft revealed themselves. On this album he utilizes choirs and orchestras to great effect. He even does two duets for the first time with "Raging Storm" and "My Father's Eyes". "The Storyman" is one of De Burgh's most diverse works and easily outshines all of his recent albums like "The Road To Freedom" (which was a slight return to form), "Timing Is Everything" and "Quiet Revolution".

De Burgh wrote eleven stories spanning different parts of the globe and dealing with several different themes. He offers a lyric book and a story book. In the story book he gives details surrounding each song's setting. I did not care for this, as I like the music to speak for itself. There are almost no wasted tracks on "The Storyman". Some of my favorites are "One World", "Leningrad", "The Grace Of A Dancer", "Spirit", "Raging Storm" and "The Storyman".

In the title track, De Burgh recounts lines from each of his most famous stories from almost all of his past albums to date. Clever, and true to form. De Burgh has established himself as an Irish Neil Diamond of sorts. "The Storyman" should be the album De Burgh fans have been waiting for since 1994's "This Way Up".

Some New Material at Last!
I especially loved the songs with his duets with foreign singers (his duet with Kristyna Myles is especially beautiful) as well as the African and Middle Eastern inspired music in a few of the songs that certainly gave a new sound to his music. If, like other Chris de Burgh fans, you have been waiting for what seems like forever for new songs by him, here it is at last! This album definitely goes back to his "Spanish Train and other Stories" roots for most of the new material. Just don't ask me for specifics on titles since I listen to the CD in my car and don't have time to jot down notes.

I would have given this album 5 stars because of it being new material alone, if not for a couple of things. The first song "The Storyman Theme" is actually all music and no Chris de Burgh voice. He also sings "My Father's Eyes" twice on the CD. The first alone and the second with Hani Hussein (my favorite even if I don't know what he's saying). I'd rather have had two new songs instead of a repeat in a different format and a voiceless one. There were also two songs that were pretty dull and uninspired I thought compared to the rest of the album, but you might like them so I won't say which ones.

I also liked the accompanying leaflets in the CD. One contained the words to all the songs and the other was a history behind the stories he tells in the songs. Interesting reads that give you an added perspective to his telling the stories.

Overall, though I know I am biased having loved Chris's music for almost 25 years, this is a terrific new album. Worth the money if you've been a fan as long as me.

Also, if you ever have the chance to see him in concert I highly recommend it. I saw him back in 1986 at Wembley Stadium in London and again in 2004 at Royal Albert Hall in London. The man just gets better with age! What singers do you know now a days that can entertain for over two hours with only a guitar and piano (played by him) as support, no background musicians or dancers! That takes true talent!.

The best music on the earth!!!
His music and lyrics touch your heart. Chris the Burgh is very talented performer, composer and singer. I played his songs to some of my friends and I saw tears in their eyes. His songs stick in your head and don't want to leave. You go to bed with his melody and you wake up with it. It's magic. Buy this CD and you thank me for it. In case you don't like it and it's not your style, please give it to someone you love and you will be appreciated.

You can see a complete list of all Chris de Burgh discography, or go back to the Chris de Burgh tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.