Over the last seven or eight years the work of Simone Felice has been enjoyed, admired and mesmerised mainly in a live setting countless times. Yet opportunity, circumstance and the direction of one's antenna has left the work of the brothers he split from many years ago entirely untouched. This is not down to a lack of releases, UK shows or even an acknowledged credibility of the standing The Felice Brothers have in the eyes of their loyal following and a wider hinterland. For many the first lockdown release from an act driven by brothers Ian and James is a continuation of an acclaimed career, but there is always the off chance that FROM DREAMS TO DUST may be an entry point other than for yours truly.
The first impression from checking out this album is the closeness in style and delivery between the solo work of Simone and the brothers he left in 2009. Sibling likeness obviously runs deep in the creative outpost of Palenville in New York state's Catskill Mountains.
Needless to say, the depth and texture of this Felice Brothers record is a trait offering fulfilment and more than a touch of listening pleasure. Admittedly the complexity of a barrage of lyrical prose and eclectic musicality can be a challenge and you are left with a feeling that a Felice Brothers album is not designed to be lavishly consumed and casually discarded in the blink of a few listens. Therefore the gist of this review is to merely signpost with a brief summation of what the casual ear can expect.
The dozen tracks pushing the running time to a few minutes under the hour ebb and flow leaving moments of compulsive engagement nestled alongside those where the intensity can strain the interaction. The Felice Brothers clearly make music on their own terms and likely preach to a core. Frequently the content does offer a spark for contemplation and mind rambling especially when the words poetically drift into a near spoken form.
After several spins for the outcome of this piece, five strategic anchors or pinpoints emerge to hold the record together. Having a pulsating opener kicking off things is never a sloppy start and the sparkling chorus and immersive brass are the mere catalysts for hailing the merits of 'Jazz on the Autobahn' . A few songs into the track listing reveals one of the gems as the band really dip down sparse and mundane to deliver the seemingly tribute number 'Be at Rest'. A hard hitting song utilising piano alongside a poetic literary descriptive spoken delivery to bind the memory of Mr Felice senior while featuring the awkward lyric 'from dreams to dust'. Hence the title is born.
This is immediately followed by 'Valium', a song deduced as being one of lonesome contemplation and probably as symbolic as any in pointing The Felice Brothers in the direction of the Americana brethren. Skipping over the next track and you get the writing veering in a clever direction. 'Celebrity X' name checks the title in the opening and closing moments to bookend an alphabetical count back of every celebrity in between. Confused? Just check out the track, which comes with a money back guarantee.
Regardless of whether you feel the album warrants some sort of feel good ending, FROM DREAMS TO DUST obliges in the unrivalled optimism of 'We Shall Live Again'. Here some sort of rosy contentment surrounds reaching the end of an album that may be dangled as a masterpiece to the Felice fraternity to bite.
A newbie summary of this work deep into the heart of a career draws thoughts of art school folk rock. A new genre or just the wild thoughts of a vivid imagination? Let's end with another question in has this experience prompted the need for a deep dive into a rich back catalogue? The answer will only be forthcoming once the complexity of this Felice Brothers introduction has been completely grasped. But then again you don't really grasp Simone Felice, just let the guy weave his magic.