And now for something completely different, Dean Morris, aka The Gleeman is due to release his debut album of original material ‘Something To Say’ at 53 years young. The press release accompanying the album keeps mentioning the words ‘Mature Artist’ and it’s stressing me out, I’m no young pup myself anymore, and the thought of being categorised terrifies me!
But this is not about me, this is about The Gleeman and his glorious 14-track album of original recordings, my own musical taste is as varied as you will get, raised on rock band with big hair were the soundtrack to my youth, but before that, before I stretched my own musical wings I grew up listening to the sounds of Pavarotti, my dad sang tenor in a local church choir, my sisters The Bay City Rollers and Abba, my brothers Thin Lizzy and AC/DC and mum listened to the likes of Chris De Burgh, There is where I find my correlation with The Gleeman if you have ever listened to early Chris De Burgh, the likes of ‘Spanish Train & Other Stories’ or ‘At The End Of A Perfect Day’ you’ll understand. Beautiful, simple melodies and storytelling are lost on the current generation of musicians who bombard our airwaves regurgitating old classic songs, clipping samples for fear of creating their own.
That is where The Gleeman shines, the album’s opening track sets the stall, ‘The Legendary Planetary Émigré’ lets you know you’re not in Kansas anymore, but about to take a rollercoaster ride you are not quite ready for. An upbeat track filled with hope and dreams, you know, right there and then, you are about to embark on a musical journey of epic proportions. The album is a collection of songs that take you through the life and experiences of The Gleeman, deeply personal experiences, love and loss and how they have transformed one mans journey to allow him to express himself and his emotions through songwriting. Tracks like ‘The Hurting’ whilst fictional are close to home, whilst ‘ Borrowed Time’ speaks of deep personal loss, and whilst the above may sound dark and daunting, I guess this is what comes with a more mature songwriter who can speak of these topics from unfortunate personal experiences that time brings to us all.
This may be the secret weapon of The Gleeman, connecting with an audience craving reality in a deeply shallow world, I feel familiarity in tracks like ‘Marie’ that carry a highly addictive melody, reminding me of songs I tried to write myself on the acoustic a lifetime ago. There is an honest vulnerability to some of the songs, the simplicity and uncomplicated approach to the songwriting and the production just allows you to lose yourself in the recordings, there are some incredibly challenging topics covered on this album, and no hiding places, just an out pouring of emotions across 14 well crafted tunes.
The Gleeman was like stepping back in time, it brought me back to my early years discovering the singer-songwriters of days gone by, thankfully there still are plenty to carry the torch, Dean Morris, has done us proud. Keeping it real in 2024.
Something To Say arrives November 1st 2024 and was produced with Will Hicks (Ed Sheeran) plus studio contributions from musical royalty Fred Abbott (Noah & The Whale) and Ash Soan (Snow Patrol) with mixes by Ash Howes. The album is currently available for pre-order from all the usual outlets on CD and Vinyl (2x LP 45RPM, Half-Speed Mastered by Miles Showell at Abbey Road).
Track Listings
| 1 | The Legendary Planetary Émigré |
| 2 | The Hurting |
| 3 | Borrowed Time |
| 4 | Marie |
| 5 | Breathe Again |
| 6 | Gunslinger |
| 7 | You Are Not Alone |
| 8 | Somebody |
| 9 | A Better Friend |
| 10 | Waterfall |
| 11 | You Will Always Be My Home |
| 12 | Better Day |
| 13 | Blink Of An Eye |
| 14 | Feel |