I recently bought one of the best albums I’ve heard in a long while. Fish’s double album “Weltschmerz“, released at the back end of last year, is an extremely personal set of songs and is a stunning collection both musically and lyrically. It’s his retirement album and every song makes an emotional connection. I was alerted to the album when I came across the promo video for the song “Garden of Remembrance”, which deals with the subject of dementia, told from Fish’s own experience with his father. It is one of the most heartfelt songs I have ever heard with its stark piano arrangement and deep-felt lyrics.
The album itself mixes the quirky (“Man with a Stick”, “This Party’s Over”) and the epic (“Rose of Damascus”, “Waverley Steps”) with melodies and lyrics that stay with you long after. The songs deal with health issues, something Fish has suffered more than his share of in recent years, the ageing process, changes in the way we live and the world itself. From the opener “Grace of God” through to the closing title track every song is a gem. It is a stunning achievement for a 62-year-old.
Weltschmerz
/ˈvɛltˌʃmɛːts,German ˈvɛltˌʃmɛrts/
noun
a feeling of melancholy and world-weariness.
Track Listing:
CD1
The Grace of God 8.15
Man with a Stick 6.30
Walking on Eggshells 7.15
This Party’s Over 4.23
Rose of Damascus 15.43
CD2
Garden of Remembrance 6.04
C Song (The Trondheim Waltz) 4.41
Little Man What Now 10.53
Waverley Steps (End of the Line) 13.48
Weltschmerz 6.45
Released: 25th September 2020
Label: Chocolate Frog