Album Review: Paul Burch 'Meridian Rising'

Courtesy: Conqueroo

Paul Burch celebrates his tenth release, Meridian Rising, on Plowboy Records this Friday, February 26th. A musical journey if there ever was, Meridian Rising is an incredibly unique - perhaps even daunting - undertaking, that Burch triumphantly pulls off.  A concept album, Meridian Rising is an imagined autobiography based on the life of Jimmie Rodgers, the legendary singer-songwriter of the 1920s whose music blended pop, folk, and blues as a precursor to rock and roll. Co-produced with Grammy Award winner Dennis Crouch, the album’s twenty songs, all told from the first person, share movie like vignettes from Rodgers’ life; from the delightful notes of the clarinet on opening track “Meridian” (Mississippi) which recalls the town he grew up to “Sorry I Can’t Stay” where Jimmie pens his “last letters home” as his time draws near.

In between, Burch recalls many moments including first loves, places and predicaments that comprised the Blue Yodeler’s short life (Rodgers died when he was 35 at the Hotel Taft in New York). Be transported to France in “To Paris (with regrets),” sense Rodgers’ surprise in “Baby Blue Yodel” and be a part of a card game in the bluesy “Black Lady Blues.” Adding to the overall charm and effectiveness of the record is the fact that the album is scored to the melodies of Rodgers’ time featuring songs that include jazz, country, blues, island and ragtime (think sax, tuba, trumpet, oboe!). “Cadillacin’” is straight up big band fun, the genial “US Rte 49” recounts time spent at a TB sanatorium (Rodgers died from the disease) while “Gunter Hotel Blues” carries you straight to a club in the deep south.

Interspersed throughout the album are multiple incredibly brief instrumental tracks that seem to pair with one of the story songs. “Sign of Distress” ominously accompanies “If I Could Only Catch My Breath,” “June” is paired with the weighty “Ain’t That Water Lucky” (both about the death of his infant daughter), while big top instrumental “Under Canvas” precedes the jazzy, ragtime feel of “The Girl I Sawed In Half” (a song of utter heartbreak), and the gorgeous title track ushers in “Back to The Honky Tonks” and “Oh, Didn’t He Ramble” which closes the album.
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Jimmie Rodgers was a pioneer and an original, as is Burch, whose creative reimagining brings timeless melodies in tales of someone so revered to a modern audience. Not simply meant to be heard, Meridian Rising is an experience, a voyage into Rodgers’ life as a traveling musician saluting the man, the music and ultimately his impact throughout musical genres.

NB. The February 26, 2015 release also includes the issue of a limited-edition 10-inch EP of vinyl-only tracks featuring Billy Bragg, plus two songs recorded direct to the King Records cutting lathe at Third Man Records. The vinyl 10-inch includes a full download of Meridian Rising along with a poster by Country Music Hall of Fame artist-in-residence Jon Langford. In addition, don’t ignore reading the wonderful album insert, it’s an illuminating read.

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