Phosphorescent, (the stage name for Matthew Houck), originally from Huntsville, Alabama, is back with his ninth album C'est La Vie. It's his seventh album in all, and though I'm not familiar with the whole of that back back catalogue, I did fall under the spell of his last studio album Muchacho, which came out in 2013.
Six years on and not an enormous amount has changed in Houck's world sonically. Though much has changed apparently in his life. He's found contented relationship, started a family, moved from New York to Nashville, built his own studio and almost died from meningitis, and made C'est La Vie. It's a haunting, dazzling record and is well worth the wait.
Houck gazes out from its cover, looking something like a leaner Demis Roussos, in awe, wonder and apparent pain. It's a striking image and it fits well to the narrative of the record which comes on like a spiritual quest. I heard the album playing yesterday when I walked into Fopp the splendid record chain on Rose Street in Edinburgh and it sounded terrific, the kind of album made to be played in record shops so curious customers can ask who it is.
The record has one song that sounds like a hit, though these things are probably never actual hits nowadays. That song is New Birth in New England where Houck is sat in a bar drinking a beer and considering another when he chances upon a stranger who he feels he knows. It's a rare carefree moment, reminded me a bit of today's Heart of Rock & Soul song Girls Just Want To Have Fun melodically. I can't hold it against the guy. He deserves happiness however momentary.
Elsewhere there's much of the spiritual melancholic swirl we expect from Phosphorescent. Cosmic Music. On the nine minute centrepiece Around The Horn, he goes all motorik on us and it's a joy to behold. Neu! backing Gram. Houck may have found contentment, we have to hope he has. He may not know where he's going but he hasn't forgotten where he's come from. As he said when interviewed in this month's Mojo:
'This life is sad, for all its gorgeousness. The overriding thing at any point if you give it a second of reflective thought is just, it's such a sad deal (laughs). So that's always at the forefront, y'know?'
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