Album Review: Malcolm Black – Songs For The Family

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Malcolm Black is best known to most of us for the 1985 Netherworld Dancing Toys anthem For Today but in the years since his has significantly contributed to NZ music as a A&R director, Entertainment Director, Manager of Neil Finn, label co-owner and more. This album was born from a rush of creativity in 2018 after Black had discovered that he had terminal cancer and just months to live. It was then a two years labour of love by his family to get the album produced and released.

The album was produced Nigel Stone, and the band who worked with Black were  Jeff Dickie, Electric guitar and Dobro, Robin Murphy Bass and John Hodge Drums. Backing vocals are by Sue Chilten and Vanessa Freeman.

The songs are typically in a country pop style, with sometimes a harmonica being played to accentuate the lyrics, and fine use of the Dobro to create a warm feeling. Lyrically, the songs deal with understanding and coming to terms with death, in particular the feelings for others that this brings up. The lyrics are typically in plain language and directly address the feelings Black has for others. As the opening song Simple.True states he wants to “keep it simple, keep it true”

The album contains eight songs, seven of them written by Black in that final sprint of creativity. Black considers his own mortality and the lives of those he will leave behind. All four of his daughters are remembered in the track Good Year. His youngest children, Cilla and Martha, each have songs specifically named for them, as does his wife Julia. In these lyrics he reminds them that he will always be there for them.

Julia also sings We Are One, this is a loving response to the previous song, Forgive me, in which he apologises for this early death. The album closes with the traditional hymn It’s Long Road To Freedom reinterpreted in a slow and gentle country folk style.

Despite all his other achievements this album will ensure Black is in particular remembered as a loving and caring family man who philosophically faced his early death at 58 years old.

When you buy the album all proceeds go to the University of Otago’s Centre for Translational Cancer Research, which served Black and aims to improve the survival and quality of life of cancer patients.

John Bradbury

 

John Bradbury
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