Let me introduce you to Olivia Ruth. She has a shop that sells everything you’ll ever need. Or so Brendan Perkins tells us.
Now, the name Brendan Perkins is new to me. But, apparently, his latest release is his 24th or 28th album. (😲) Definitive information is hard to come by but, according to a couple of sources on the ‘Net, this artist’s recording career goes back to 2008. That’s roughly two albums every three years – an impressive productivity rate.
Given that statistic, you might wonder if this guy is just cranking out songs to a tried and tested formula, sacrificing quality and originality for quantity. But, I assure you, that’s far from the case. Brendan Perkins is a true multi-instrumentalist, proficient on “bass, electric and acoustic guitars, drums, keyboards, uke, mandolin & various percussive instruments”. And he uses them to bring a progressive rock sparkle to his original songs.
The man behind the name is obscure, but Brendan Perkins is a highly accomplished songwriter. His songs have alluring melodies and his arrangements are expertly put together. His lyrics are good, too; they draw you in to a person, a place or an idea. In Olivia Ruth, for example, he says:
Olivia will collect any old thing,
A collection of folk songs that no-one can sing.
. . .
Amelia says that she used to be wise,
But just now and then there’s a spark in her eyes.
That’s a character I’d love to meet.
If there was any justice in this world, Brendan Perkins would be as well-known, revered and wealthy as any famous pop singer, and his songs would be treasured by many thousands of dedicated fans.
Crotchety Man 