Paul Turney and the Human Condition: Thoughts and Prayers (digital outlets)

A couple of weeks ago we posted a major interview with Paul Turney, not just because he was interesting but also because his life showed you how far music can take you: in his case the unexpected journey from playing with post-punk/New Wave band Flight X-7 out of Auckland to now living in lovely Cirencester, England where he has his own company cleaning up archival recordings from the Irish broadcasting company . . . and the IRA.

At 21 he could have hardly predicted that and the interview is the fascinating story of how he got there.

And back in England he has become part of a group of excellent studio and touring musicians (Pink Floyd, Bee Gees, Elton, Eurythmics etc) who – when a tour opening for Phil Collins fell through, the promoter was a charlatan – suggested they record some of his songs.

Hence Thoughts and Prayers which opens with the epic Zig Zag Road, a reminiscence of wild teenage years in the Waikato and a tribute to his brother he lost early in life.

Doris and Violet is like the early Moody Blues if they'd grown up in the central North Island: “Doris and Violet would drive in their Morris from the house on the hill to Saint Peter's church every Sunday” and later “I found a man, his end of life planned. Sat on the side of the high level bridge with a view to ending it all. Afraid of the fall.”

It is a lovely piece of writing and arrangement.

Elsewhere there is tough, adult rock with something to say (The Blaming Game) and a gentle ballad Forgiveness with an equally thoughtful sentiment borne of the years: “[I] let pride drive a wedge between us. It was all so serious it broke my heart. For mercy I pray, for these and all the wasted days we let slip away”.

There is also the philosophical Another World, a ballad that looks beyond this life and arrives like a series of snapshots where past and present, dreams and reality merge: “In this scene I'm measuring the galaxies towering the Milky Way. The blackbird sings, see the migrant tents on the steep and winding road where worlds collide at the border fence.”

These songs -- coloured by lovely saxophone, the players mentioned in that interview – reflect a man of Turney's age given thoughtful consideration to the bigger issues in life: “Do you remember, cause I remember everything” on the lavishly embellished You're the King.

Adult music played by adults for those willing to take the time to slow down and consider.

And have a look at that interview and see how he got to this point, it's a winding road.

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You can hear and buy this album at bandcamp here