Wright’s homely sentimental gruff voice works well alongside balletic piano and traditional Americana compositions. Imagine Tom Waits, speaking candidly over a bed of timeless piano rather than hiding behind his elaborately crafted caricature persona. Wright, a staunch, world weary veteran brings his poems to life, lingering on each of his carefully chosen words, the pauses let the words stir, melting like ice cubes in a glass of bourbon.
The readings were recorded in Wright’s Massachusetts home; resulting in the rare sound of a poet at complete ease. Reciting from the heart, Wright’s intense verse conjurs up images of cigarettes burning in an ashtray. Wright has had big shoes to fill, since his father James was also a respected poet and a lot of the poems look back at his childhood, acknowledging the awkwardness between Father and son. Wright seems to go through a period of self therapy as these regurgitated memories are revisited.
Of course this is a release for poetry purists, Wright’s words are self-referential, a circle of death and recovery. Staring at the devil before the end, and then turning around and having the gumption to say ‘I’m not ready yet, pal’.
Though Wright’s seems to take a dark look at life, every poem selected resonates strongly, however one imagines that the reader might get more value for money by acquiring one of Wright’s collections on paper. This is an interesting release, somewhat novel, and perhaps a direction that more poets will choose to take in the near future.
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