Description
The Boat Ashore is the sophomore solo album by the American singer and songwriter Michael Roe of The Seventy Sevens fame, released on Innocent Media in 1996. (The titled of the album is a play on the artist’s name vs. the title of the old spiritual, “Michael, Row the Boat Ashore”). Has been described as “free form psychedelic pop.”
Michael Roe’s second solo project is just as far afield of his material with the 77’s as Safe as Milk. But the Boat Ashore (a delicious pun 77’s fans have been expecting and, probably, dreading for years) has coalesced Milk’s dizzying array of styles into a format that much more effectively fuses Roe’s influences from pop, gospel, rock, country and jazz. For example, on «Love Like Gold» Roe combines a slight country twang with Beach Boys’ harmonies and Jerry Garcia-influenced lead guitar. Few others can effectively draw on such a wide array of influences without losing sight of the song. Again Roe manages not only to keep the song in focus, but use these subtle shades to draw subtle nuances out of the music that a narrower focus would ignore or not explore. Mark Harmon and Bruce Spencer join Roe on this musical excursion, and prove to be as versatile as their leader at performing disparate styles of music. Spencer even takes co-writer and co-producer credits on a few of the numbers. [Brad Caviness, 7ball Magazine, 1996]
Go ahead, take a minute to chuckle over the title of this record. In fact, take another 45 seconds when you listen to the a cappella, “musta been recorded on an answering machine” version of the summer camp sing-along hit that opens this second solo outing from the leader of the 77s.
One thing is for certain, Roe is not rocking this boat as he brings it ashore … at least, not rocking it as much as we know he is able. What he is doing is sort of lazily paddling toward home, creating musical textures that drift along rather than churn the placid surface.
And the great thing is, it works. The man who gave us a great Robert Plant homage to start the Sevens’ Drowning With Land in Sight can turn around and present a smooth, almost lilting vocal a la Alan Parsons Project but with acoustic guitar and not make it sound forced or weird.
This album is a pleasure to listen to because Roe et al. offer songs that are driven by exactly what they need to be driven by, be it guitar or rhythm section or piano or vocal. Each track has its own little niche, its own flavor that comes through the mix. It doesn’t all sound the same, a fate that can befall projects of a quieter nature.
Lyrically, Roe continues to move, be it towards an encouraging vein like «Love Like Gold» or ripping his heart out on «I Buried My Heart at Bended Knee». And for those who are about to rock, Roe salutes you by strapping on the Strat for a rollicking rendition of «Tall Trees» (cheekily hidden on track 77).
Kudos to Innocent Media for giving Roe the opportunity to show us this other side of his talents. It can only serve to spark renewed interest in his other efforts (the Seventy Sevens, Lost Dogs) for him to create this other musical statement and to take us on a rather refreshing pleasure cruise. [Lucas W. Hendrickson, CCM, September 1996]
Row the boat ashore! Geddit? Mike Roe is better known as the man who fronts the 77s and for his musical adventures as a Lost Dogs. Reading between the lyrical lines, it seems clear that this solo effort is a selection of songs born in the midst of trials. More melodic and less rocky in style than his 77s output, this is stuff to spend time getting into for the greatest reward. These songs are so captivating that it’s possible to hum along and sing the odd line without ever being touched by the pathos of the themes Roe explores. There is an acoustic beauty and simplicity in some of these arrangements which hide Roe’s exploration of broken relationships, betrayal, hurt and the death of self worth. Its cleverly deceptive «Honey Run» meanders along pleasantly, «Some Kind Of Dream» sounds like 1981 Talking Heads and is my personal favourite. «Love Like Gold» has some beautiful mandolin playing. There’s a not very well hidden song at the end of the album on track 77. (Geddit again?) Not an absolute classic but well worth the exploration if you are into songs that explore and reflect the human condition rather than nice platitudes. [Mike Rimmer, Cross Rhythms, October 1996]
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-boat-ashore/412178976)
CD tracklist:
01. Michael Row The Boat Ashore – 0:45
02. The Boat Ashore – 4:28
03. Honey Run – 4:08
04. Love Like Gold – 4:26
05. Blue All Over – 3:52
06. Some Kind Of Dream – 5:07
07. Billy Paul Said – 3:17
08. Tum Tum Tum – 4:33
09. I Buried My Heart At Bended Knee – 4:52
10. Thanks A Million – 4:26
11. Instrumental – 1:29
12. Tall Trees – 4:16
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and CD by Innocent Media. Available at Bandcamp: https://michaelroe.bandcamp.com/album/the-boat-ashore
Michael Roe, of course the lead vocalist, guitarist, and only surviving original member of The Seventy Sevens, has added a new selection to this summer’s must-have list. The glibly titled The Boat Ashore does more than play on the artist’s name, it plays on the artist himself.
As the Sevens flex every Zep, Who, and Stones muscle they have, here Roe re-visits his love for more melodic (nose-ring crowd read: mellow), smooth pop music. Fans of the Sevens’ more laid-back diversions, like «God Sends Quails» and «MT», will thrill to these 10 cuts. Roe has stretched out over this disc with gobs of heart and soul.
Whereas his debut solo album, Safe as Milk (especially the contraband curdled version), seemed to be a drainage valve for material his label wouldn’t let him release on any Sevens record, The Boat Ashore sounds like the sound he has self-censored in order for The Sevens to have every possibility to break into the larger mod-rock scene. All the 70’s influences, from the Eagles and America to Neil Young and The Grateful Dead, run free throughout these songs. But never does a song cease sounding exactly like a Michael Roe tune. His voice has never sounded sweeter, his guitar never more fluid, and his ability to pen a killer phrase and set it to a beautiful melody ought never be questioned.
«Love Like Gold» will leave even the hardest heart spinning: ”I’m losing interest in your shady loan of love/ My only saving grace is the good Lord above/ I really want to know what it feels like to have and hold/ A precious love, a love like gold”. Here he’s created one of the most beautiful songs of his career.
«Blue All Over» and «Tum Tum Tum» are true examples of Roe’s ability with an acoustic guitar. «Some Kind of Dream», «Billy Paul Said», and «I Buried My Heart at Bended Knee» all pick up the tempo and throw in some very cool retro groove. «Some Kind of Dream» actually hints at a slight disco influence in the bass line and backing vocals. Track 77 (why does he keep doing this to us?) is a rollicking, Stones-influenced cut called «Tall Trees», which re-treads some of the musical territory he hasn’t traveled since the days of More Miserable Than You’ll Ever Be. Brown Sugar meets Johnny B. Good.
Lyrically, Roe has carved out some impressive new ground here. The general theme seems to be that, after tossing about on the waves for the last several years, he’s hit shore, albeit a bit violently, but at least it’s ground. In contrast to dwelling in misery and despair, he has taken control and is doing his best to recover.
No doubt the break-up of Roe’s marriage several years ago is the major catalyst behind these songs, but the nature in which he addresses his emotions is encouraging indeed. Take the opening lines of the title track: ”Woke up in the morning and it felt like the black of night / Tumbled out of bed, tripped on my Bible, stumbled over the light/ Blinded by the break of day, I shut my eyes, I was alone/ Couldn’t say my prayers, Good God Almighty where’s my telephone? Now I know, Know what you meant when You told me You wanted to hold me, Hold me forever … No I did not know, I didn’t understand the plan You had for me/ It isn’t that I don’t believe, I do believe that You truly love me/ But how do I reciprocate when I know there’s nothing good in me? Say it’s so … Say it till I really hear it when you say don’t fear it, let go”.
Mike Roe’s music hasn’t contained so full a recognition of God’s role in many years. The strange beauty of The Boat Ashore is that it achieves a delicate balance between recognition of pain and the hope of deliverance. There are many symbolisms throughout that a picture of a man who’s been through the crashing waves and now welcomes the comfort of crashing onto God’s shores. This image of brokenness is powerful indeed.
The Boat Ashore is an excellent offering from a man who has contributed mightily to the overall quality level of Christian music. It relies on melodic and instrumental beauty, and on powerful lyrics to make it’s punch – as opposed to Roe’s day-job band, The Seventy Sevens, who play the rock and roll card to make an impact. Both extremes are brilliant, and this just goes to show that Michael Roe is fully worth the acclaim he receives. [John J Thompson, True Tunes, 1996]
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.