Granted, most of you probably don’t know of Greg Copeland. If you do, you know that he’s a childhood friend and collaborator of Jackson Browne, or maybe that he wrote the hit song, co-written with Steve Noonan for the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band – “Buy For Me the Rain.’ The Tango Bar, rather unbelievably, is just Copeland’s third album, having released his debut in 1982 and Diana and James in 2008. We’ll get to the explanation of the dearth of 74-year-old Copeland’s material later but all one must-see are the names gracing the credits to understand how much respect Copeland has achieved as a songwriter despite his minimal output.
While Copeland sings five of these nine songs in his weary, battered voice, he steps aside for the four others with terrific female vocalists—Caitlin Canty (three) and Inara George (daughter of the late Little Feat leader Lowell George) (one). The contemplative fare, all penned by Copeland, though he had co-writers for two of them, flow softly, some melodically, others in a more haunted vein. Gracing the session are such luminaries as guitarists Greg Leisz and Val McCallum, drummers Jay Bellerose and Don Heffington, keyboardist David Garza, and producer/multi-instrumentalist Tyler Chester. Copeland places the lead vocals appropriately as he sings on the brooding “Lou Reed” and the accordion-flavored “Let Him Dream” with Madison Cunningham adding the eerie backing vocals, while the brighter tracks feature Canty on “Better Now” and “Beaumont Taco Bell” where her dreamy, lovely voice just has Leisz’s stunning pedal steel as accompaniment. George, in a similar way, begins the album with the beautiful “I’ll Be Your Sunny Day” accompanied only by Chester who plays piano and bass.
Copeland’s debut, Revenge Will Come, was widely hailed in 1982 and placed alongside albums such as Springsteen’s Nebraska, Elvis Costello’s Imperial Bedroom and Richard and Linda Thompson’s Shoot Out the Lights as elite albums of that year. Yet, Copeland surprisingly decided to quit the music business, became a paralegal and eventually a full-fledged lawyer and went onto raise a family. In other words, he wanted to make some real money rather than try to survive hand-to-mouth as many singer-songwriters unfortunately do.
A quarter of a century later the songs started to come back as if a switch just got turned on. Thus, Diana and James appeared in 2008. That album had a spare, resonant sound as does this one, described by some as “bleak and wondrous,” adjectives that also apply here. Although that album generated new acclaim by old and new fans alike, Copeland wasn’t in a rush to make another record. He claims that he needs to accumulate a group of songs that fit together somehow. That lets him know he’s ready for an album, however long it takes. At this stage in life, the 74-year old Copeland may deliver music more frequently. He is embracing writing again, believing one gets more creative with age and already has another album worth of songs ready to record once he can raise the money.
Copeland delivers a vibe, not unlike Leonard Cohen on the ones he sings, especially “Scan the Beast” and the closing title track. His voice oozes the experience of life’s hard-earned lessons and the spacious, atmospheric musical backdrops add gravitas to the whole sound. The twin guitars of Leisz on lap steel and McCallum on electric are especially striking on “Scan the Beast” while Chester’s unique horn arrangement colors the title track. “Lou Reed” is appropriately dark and menacing and even has some echoes of The Velvet Underground. The overall sound stands far apart from the usual singer-songwriter fare, making these half-sung, half-spoken songs memorable.
Greg Copeland is many things – distinctive, intriguing, iconoclastic and worthy of a listen. Thankfully, it appears we won’t have to wait another twelve years to hear his next one but, in the meantime, there’s much to savor here.
