John Greenwood- The First Day - Progressive Voyages Review
John Greenwood is certainly a most accomplished man, Now retired from his former career as a Burns specialist in Adelaide Australia, He is now enjoying the time to explore his musical ambitions more fully, This latest albums continues in a sim8lar vein to his earlier releases Dark Blue (2023l and The Boy (2024)
John who is originally from Manchester but emigrated to Australia when younger is very much a man whose star is in the ascendancy, This new album of his is really something very special. Read on to discover why I feel this way about this new album.
Firstly let me say that this album is not always immediate, but it is one that will if you allow it to that is, make a profound impact on you as you listenntomits thoughtfulmand skillfully composed s9ns and music.
It is an intelligent, thoughtful and challenging albumn that is unafraid to ask some pretty searching questions of the listener, The album consists of a mere 4 tracks ( Although one of them is in 10 parts an lasts for over 22 minutes alone)
.John is certainly a clever writer who manages to employ both humour and deep thought often within the same song Christmas Day being a fine example of this As the song very cleverly and amusingly contrasts the very different experiences that are felt by a bunch of toffs who shamelessly flaunt their wealth and the hard pressed but basically broke working NHS nurse who has to have assistance from the local food bank to feed her own family the Christmas day meal.
John manages to convey the inequality with dignity and yes even humour despite it being a real issue affecting lots of working families.
The song is very well written, delivered and performed with style and dignity, It does show the huge divide in society between the wealthy and the normal person on the street very eloquently.
The music is suitably complex with great guitar and massed voices all used to strong effect. As are church organs and other keyboards,
There is a wstfulness that suits this song and the message it is seeking to convey and the Jolly overture that contrasts with the sadder emotion of the song. An extremely strong opening track.
All Over is next this song is about a couple who marriage is in difficulties they fight but try to be kinder to each other without any success They more they seek to be civil the more they fail and resort to being cruel to each other saying hurtful things and dispens8ng accusations which they cannot take back., The music here is equally expressive with good guitar lines and a solid rhythm courtesynof of Chester Thompsons solid drumming.
Next track is The Girl which is actually a footnote to John’s previous album The Boy, in that album it ended with our heron taking off headed for space on a one way trip, This song continues the story from the viewpoint of The Girl he left behind him.
As the tale unfolds we discover that The Girl is pregnant with a child he will never get to see or ever hold. As his trip is selfishly one way and the child will grow up without a father, The song is sung by John’s daughter Emma Bartsch. She voices the character wonderfully expressing a quiet rage for The Boy's selfishness and unfulfilled promises of a Life together when she is destined for a harsh earthbound life with her as ye tunborn child, there is a very symphonic nature to the sound with lots of Violins Viola's Flute's Oboe and horns all add to The sound there is also a decent emotional guitar solo from johnn towards the tracks conclusion.
Next is the albums central,song sequence, the ten section the First Day Suite
This 22 minute plus spread of tracks uses a mixture of styles moving between instrumental and vocal tracks to get the message over.there is also narration employed.
I doubt if you will hear a more refined piece this year, As this really is a very inspired piece of music and suite of pieces that together form a very emotionally satisfying collection of tracks.
Prelude opens the piece and is a fully instrumental track that uses subtle orchestration to create and convey a mood of melancholia almost as it seeks to ready you for the emotional challenge tthat lies ahead.
First Day is about a newly qualified doctor and all that he encounters on his first day in the job, It is about the sheer amount of energy used to try to deliver a caring healthbservice in the present day where other forces are noticably at play affecting both patients and doctors. Placing Highland unachievable demands on the time and abilities to provide care, thecsong details both life and death as encountered daily on a hospital ward.
What this suite does allow is for John to showcase this delicate acoustic guitar chops to great effect., as he does throughout this whole suite
What also really adds to this whole suite is the wonderfully emotive voice over by Mark Addy, who narration is heard in the poem The First And Last Day. Which is featured at the end of Despair. Which also has more graceful acoustic guitar from John.
Last day itself is sung by Emma Bransch again as she sing of someone facing their last day of life, this is not overly sad it is more a song of accepting that the wheel of a life time has done its last revolution and now Eternity beckons.
The Last Room On The Left uses a recurring melody and piano motif that is repeated and reimagined to great effect with classical instrumentations and Orchestrations With the third interpretation featuring Jonn's electric guitar amidst the clarinets and oboes, very impressive and well realised whilst the second version has Roger King's Piano gracing the sound.
I have to say I found this whole selection of tracks that comprise the Fist Day Suite to be really different and yet very satisfying musically
Indeed the whole album really is a thing of beauty and one that warrants your attention and interest.
Info here: www.johngreenwood.bandcamp.com
Author John Wenlock-Smith Saturday 12th September 2026.