Louder Than The Music

Dave Griffiths - Here & Now

Artist:

Dave Griffiths

Title:

Here & Now

Type:

Album

Released:

04 Mar 2016

LTTM Rating:

Your Rating:

Review

So here we have Dave Griffiths’ eagerly awaited debut full solo album. Listed in Premier Christianity’s “33 under 33” influential Christians of 2015, Dave is a big hulk of a man, size 15 boot, tweed jacket, a beard you might find a sausage roll in, who can twist, twang and windmill notes out of a guitar you didn’t know were there, whilst handling a voice that can sing a picture frame off of the lounge wall. He probably can moonwalk too, but even if he can’t he’d probably have a go. He’s that sort of guy. Look, this...
Read More So here we have Dave Griffiths’ eagerly awaited debut full solo album. Listed in Premier Christianity’s “33 under 33” influential Christians of 2015, Dave is a big hulk of a man, size 15 boot, tweed jacket, a beard you might find a sausage roll in, who can twist, twang and windmill notes out of a guitar you didn’t know were there, whilst handling a voice that can sing a picture frame off of the lounge wall. He probably can moonwalk too, but even if he can’t he’d probably have a go. He’s that sort of guy. Look, this is a man who had quail visit him in the studio when he was recording by contrast the next day I had a fly covered pigeon visit me, so it’s important to take note when he’s got a new bunch of songs to share with you.

If you’re looking for nice, plastic coated, life-is-wonderful Christian music, there is lots of choice and some very fine options there are on other people’s albums. But for those who prefer a bit more grit and spit, blood on the nose real life, life-group accountability and honesty, then you’ll find it here. Dave sings passionately what he’s written passionately.

Like a student wandering through the aisles of a bible college library, one hand holding a pile of intellectual commentaries, the other a pile of decade-spanning vinyl, cassettes and CDs creating a spiritual playlist for 2016, there’s ear crunching guitars, slide guitar (rarely heard outside Nashville like this but it’s obviously alive and kicking in Bournemouth) and dreamy Elbow-like wistfulness. “Son” begins in plod-rock territory but the warbling Hammond takes over and, somehow it turns it into a gospel choir clap-a-long requesting to be taken “to the garden of my Lord”. It’s not all gob-in-your-face guitars, there’s more subtle luscious mellow moments to be found in “Yeshua” and “Abide”. “Awake!” is driven by almost 80’s pop disco asking “how can I be thirsty when I’m the reservoir?” You’ll find crowdathon singing potential in Risen One: “There’s nowhere I can go that’s outside the presence of the Risen One” rising to a stadium stage solo, before fading back down into quiet reflectiveness of picked acoustic guitar. There’s even a song to his wife, not a cheesy croon but a delicate honest love song. “I want to spend a lazy day with you” - that’s lovely Dave, but to be honest, and no intended disrespect to Mrs Griffiths, we’d rather you spend a hard day working alone in the studio if it means you’re creating collections like this.

It’s delivered with technical excellence and sonic succulence but without losing natural feel and rawness, at times grabbed with the teeth and torn straight off from the bone, at other times delivered with gentleness, marinated in sublime sounds, many from the hand of Dave Evans in the synth and sound department. I found this album resonating with me for many different reasons, both musically and lyrically: there’s a good chance you’ll find it has the same effect and impact on you.

Of course solo albums also need others to help. And help they have. The aforementioned Dave Evans skilfully and subtly makes it sound good. Ian Yates pops in for some lyrics and a sing-a-long on the chugging hand-clapper “The Final Word”. Paul Burton lends the keys to his studio and his engineering skills. There’s too many to mention by name (sorry), it’s like an Ocean’s 11 for the gifted and talented, but possibly without the Hollywood looks.

I’d deliberately avoided listening to pre-release snippets on Facebook and Soundcloud as I wanted to hear the whole thing in one go and now have had the chance. One track I was burning to listen to was “Wild Like Children”, one gig-goer having commented hearing the track live made them tearful. Quite amazingly, twice I started playing the track - with it’s crashing pub band chords (and later a head-nodding solo) - and separately two of my children came in saying “play that again”: one of those divinely profound quail-invading moments I guess. Think back: when did you last hear a lyric mentioning picnics and tickles? “Come on it’s playtime, no expectations, we’re free to be alive” is a fresh way of saying what everyone in Gospeland says is true but never quite captures it as well as this song does in the everyday speak of the pub, common room, coffee-bar or leisure centre changing areas. No wonder that person felt tearful.

There’s a very British feel to the whole album with hints and sniffs of guitar based rock, punk, and roots but spreading out to moments of keyboard inspired meditation. Overall it’s fresh, raw and exciting, hanging around in musical territory that the themes and lyrics covered are not often found. It’s earthy and organic. Vocals are passionate and honest, balancing spirit and gut, and flesh and bones, with hints of the soulfulness of St Pauls Weller and Carrack, and the smoky-grain of Messrs Garvey and Daltrey.

The closer Union explains “all the words I thought I’d say, just fall away in the light of our union”. Indeed, there’s lots that I could write, but more importantly, there’s lots you need to listen to. If John the Baptist had sung and played guitar and had somewhere safe and a lead long enough to plug a Vox AC30 in the desert, this is the album he’d have made. It’s a big-bearded passionate voice calling out honestly and truthfully in a wilderness, singing from human depths and calling us to heavenly heights. Dave’s got it covered: we had Everywhere, now it’s Here and Now too.

Review by Philip Aldis

LTTM Rating 5 Out of 5 Stars
Standout Tracks
Wild Like Children
Abide
Son

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Dave Griffiths To Release First Full Length Solo Album 'Here & Now'

After a seven-track foray into a solo career in 2013, Dave Griffiths returns with his first full length album, 'Here & Now' on Friday 4th March. Dubbed a 'seminal figure in the UK Christian music scene', Dave Griffiths has…

Get 'Here & Now'

Dave Griffiths - Here & Now

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Dave Griffiths To Release First Full Length Solo Album 'Here & Now'

Other Dave Griffiths Releases

Inter-sessions

The Brutal Years

The Way Through The Land