John Bottomley: Home
UPCOMING: John Bottomley Tribute Concert - Celebrating his Life and Music
Singer, writer, performer, poet, composer, artist John Bottomley passed away April 6, 2011 at the age of 50.
(This page will continue to be updated by members of John's family)
CD Review: John Bottomley – “The Healing Dream”
John Bottomley is one of Canada’s pre-eminent singer-songwriters. From the release of “Library of the Sun” in 1990 to his most recent release, “The Healing Dream", Bottomley has been playing eclectic, thoughtful music that challenges your hearts and minds.
Unfortunately for music lovers, Bottomley’s output is not regular. 1995’s “Blackberry” is a highlight of his catalog, and perhaps one of the best Canadian records ever. On it, Bottomley explored the dark and light recesses of the soul, the mind, the heart, and mother nature, all with a restless mystical curiosity. On “The Healing Dream”, Bottomley returns to many of these themes. He told me it was a hard record to make - something I can imagine, with all its texture and an amazing cast of characters:
"My songwriting and especially this record has a lot of strange characters. On this record we have mythical beings, nightjars and demons. A Harlequin, a beggar and butterflies, Mr. Dupin, Mr. Jiggle, and Elenora Gomm. The owl and the pussycat and the yardwolf of Doctor Faust. Angels and an Indian woman with magical powers. It's a thread that runs through the record. There's a literal thread here and a love of language."
The record took 2 years to complete, with Bottomley trying to achieve the warm sound which is evident throughout. Bottomley's characters have a universal appeal, struggling with problems or losses, but also mesmerized by the beauty of the earth. And while Bottomley certainly confronts sadness on this record, there is a hopeful desire evident throughout that tells us all will be well, if we wish it to be. As the liner notes say, “Music has a healing power”.
As a package, "the Healing Dream" features lots of gorgeous strumming guitar, with mid-tempo beats, excellent percussion, and mellow electric guitar lines meandering in and out. The production is stellar, meaning this should be listened with speakers, not earbuds! The record starts with the title track, which is classic John Bottomley. Dreamy indeed, Bottomley invokes beautiful images from nature which are contrasted with a vague experience that needs healing. There’s no solution here - just a longing for something to help:
“I still feel the thorn
I still feel the sting
Help me now I need the healing dream”
And yet, the very next track, which also calls out for some help (‘With a Little Help from Heaven), is upbeat and happy, and speaks to a better future already being reached:
“Whatever happened to that feeling
It’s coming up just like a flower
It’s ringing in my soul
I feel it in my heart In my heart”
This one - two punch is a fine start, with several other songs offering up the same guitar based, rich sound. But Bottomley changes the musical mood significantly on some songs, with gorgeous results. “Bees” is a lengthy (6+ mins.) mythical meditation featuring Persephone and the Perian Spring, all with an occasional mid-eastern guitar lick that invokes the exotic. This broad theme is taken up later on “Nereid” (sea nymphs or goddesses from the sea in Greek Mythology), a beautiful song which starts with light guitar and a simple beat but builds over time, first with keys, then mild drums, then horn like keys as well. The song flips from the mythical to the personal and back – demonstrating that all the great myths were all about us in some way. A truly uplifting track.
My favourite track is Harlequin. The song starts with mellow, echoed guitar picking to the cadence of a ticking clock. It switches quickly to the drumbeat, like a heart, and then into a lyrical voyage which invokes and old English countryside with all its mysteries, and hopes:
“The beggar was the butterfly
All his wishes did arrive
As soon as they were spoken.
Hold on hold on hold on hold on.....help is on its way”
There are pure - and lovely - love songs here too: For the One I Love is self-explanatory, but features songbirds and swift wings as the messengers of love. Reaching Out to You has pretty strings in the background with gorgeous strummed guitar and mellow piano, a tale of love celebrated through simple things: talk, the feel of the sun, moonlight.
Although Bottomley plays keyboards on most songs, his guitar playing is the centrepiece of this record. The last track, therefore, is a departure of sorts: on Winter Gone, the piano stands front and centre, with a fun, perky beat supporting another collection of mystical - mysterious even – references to life and love. And yet the guitar is ever present – in part as a melodic accompaniment, in part as a somewhat harsh interaction – all serving to illustrate the good and bad, the material and the spiritual, the love and hate in this world. But Bottomley is ever hopeful: “There is a light that always shines”.
If you are a fan of John Bottomley, you know he is a literate and passionate songwriter whose musical style is folk/pop guitar but with a wide range of subtlety and texture that makes the music incredibly interesting and most rewarding to listen to. The Healing Dream will not disappoint. If you aren’t a John Bottomley fan, well wake up and buy this record! Literate, interesting lyrics (with more than a huge nod to the mystical and the mythical) set against gorgeous, melodic songs will be a treat for your ears and hopefully open your eyes to an excellent Canadian talent.
I asked John a few questions about his music and the inspiration for his songs. I was really intrigued by his sense of nature and the mystical that expresses itself in his music. something he gets from where he lives. Here's what he said:
"I live in the mountains, so there's a magnetic force here. An Indian spirit. In my backyard there's Bears walking around. Things shapeshifting. To me the songwriter's language is one of emotion and feeling. Storytelling. Drawing those things out like a fisherman. Sometimes you go down to the river and the river sings you a song. The Healing Dream is me trying to reach out and explain it the best way I can. It's got ghosts, peculiar characters, Bees buzzing around. This record has some love songs, which is universal and doesn't go out of style. Couples holding hands in the park. It paints a picture."
John is certainly interested in touring this record with the band that recorded it, to bring this Healing Dream to music lovers. I hope he does - music is great, but live music leaves a connection between artist and listener that is magical, and heals.
John Bottomley - The Healing Dream from Jeff Bonner on Vimeo.
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