What a Wonderful World - Robert Wyatt's "For the Ghosts Within"

Like movie-directors & writers, with their open-mode Chakras to underline, comment and write History and its greater and lesser facts, musicians [should/have to and actually (some) does] describe Life and its flowing.

Seldomly, very selected spirits goes beyond: Robert Wyatt - sure one of them - always present to himself and his times and lively "there", be it Timor, Cuba, miners' U.K. or hot mid-70s Italy, is now hinting to Palestine, with Gilad Atzmon & Ros Stephen.

He's not straight, politically rallying behind, pro or con, this or that party... no!

He's much more in Ghandi noble tradition, a cane in the wind of changes, only apparently fragile in his (relative) flaws, BUT Robert, always very politely, yet fiercely "hints" - "Hey dude, there is a world out there!"

His last six-hands-effort "For the Ghosts Within" is, like "Comicopera", less flashy than, say, "Rock Bottom": yet it enters slowly to remain in listener DNA.

His voice shows some previously unheard signs of the years passing by, and this makes it still more "human"... the strings, with beautiful Middle Eastern melismas add a new soundscape and a new quality of RW's music... a classic, BUT revolutionary, strongly unframed.

Songs, standards like statements, anthems.. a thin line to bond to each other... so, a question: do we really need a new "What a Wonderful World" rendition? Maybe... RW's version is so full of "compassion", something which we sure need in this soooo flawed World... and we sure, yes, sure need more and more Robert Wyatt.

I know I'm quite partial, BUT find no shadows on this 3 sides 180 gr. vinyl (with complimentary download card): Atzmon's duduk-like clarinet and alto sax are pretty right and intriguing and the re-reading of some great Robert's tunes sounds both new and fondly old.

A true gem, indeed... and thanking Jamie Johnson's recording at Gallery Studios, a superb recording, as well.

... (have I to say?!?) - Buy it!