Love in the Midst of Mayhem

Like a lot of veteran singer/songwriters, Joe Ely is a road warrior who makes the bulk of his living in the era of streaming music by playing live shows. In the first half of 2020, Ely, like practically everyone else in the music business, found himself sidelined when the COVID-19 virus hit and live music ceased for a while. Stuck with what to do during what he calls the pan-damn-it, Ely, like more than a few artists, turned to recording, and he leafed through his notebooks for songs he either completed yet didnt release or never quite finished, and gave them some polish. Ducking into his home studio, and with his musical collaborators flying in their parts, Ely knocked together 2020s Love in the Midst of Mayhem in a few weeks, immediately releasing it on his own Rack Em label. In terms of the performances, Love in the Midst of Mayhem hardly sounds like a rush job; while the occasional drum machine or keyboard patch seems to be here out of convenience rather than what would make an ideal arrangement, Elys accompanists are up to their usual high standards, and the rugged, understated passion of his vocals is as strong as ever, all the more impressive for a man in his early seventies. That isnt always the case for the material. Garden of Manhattan most likely never made the cut before because its pretty clunky (On the ferry across from Staten is a rhyme that lands with a thud, and rhyming Manhattan with fatten, satin, or battened hardly plays better), and A Man and his Dog is heartfelt but too sentimental for its own good. That said, most of the other songs are much closer to Elys usual level of quality, and the recurring themes of love and compassion in the face of hard times feel both timely and universal. Soon All Your Sorrows Be Gone, All You Are Love, and You Can Rely on Me are understated but eloquent statements from the human heart, and though Dont Worry About It has a slightly sharper edge, it speaks of perseverance over fear with a tone whose humility comes from strength. Circumstance may have prompted Joe Ely to record and release Love in the Midst of Mayhem in mid-2020, only it reflects the heart and soul of a great songwriter more than the times that brought it forward, and while it isnt one of his great records, its more than good enough for fans to embrace with real gratitude. ~ Mark Deming