Bitter Moon

A double dose of superlative singer/songwriter fare from this Greenwich Village stalwart, whose inclusion on the Smithsonian/Folkways 2002 FAST FOLK compilation in the company of such luminaries as Dave Van Ronk and Suzanne Vega really only gives him his due. Richard Meyers high tenor voice recalls early-70s British pop/folk singer Ian Matthews or an early Paul Simon. His songs, which are here divided into the subtle acoustic set of BITTER MOON and the chirpier STRANGE GENEROSITY, are literate, romantic, and full of sly, neat hooks. The former collection is the more successful; Meyer sounds relaxed and comfortable in this low-key setting, and his lyrical skills, which are considerable, are given a chance to shine on songs such as the title track and "The Romantic One." The darkly shimmering, string-accompanied "Watery Grave" is a high point of BITTER MOON, while the obvious focal point of the second disc is its epic title track. Though, as with virtually all double albums, a case could be made for a stellar single-disc condensation, this collection is nonetheless an exceptional display of a singular songwriting talent.