Steve Berman – Mortality Play (Album Review)

Sometimes, life comes at you when you least expect it. The arrows of the clock continue to tick on, and life may pass us by, with all of our desires and projects either fulfilled or lost in the land of hopes and dreams. This artist we’re going to review today has taken a stand against time, putting out his first project at the ripe age of 78. I’m generally quite bored with the selection of sounds that a lot of people my age tend to put out, with predictable lyrics and chord structures no different than copy-and-pasting some selections from Splice.

I’d assume reaching this age and putting your all into such a project would lead to a more fruitful result, filled with the sparks and regrets of wisdom and a life well lived. And who knows, life may have more to give. Meet Steve Berman.

He is a 78-year-old singer and songwriter living in Portland, Oregon. He has been writing and performing his original songs for close to 60 years. The culmination of his experiences, as well as being a father, grandfather, and in a 50-year relationship, gives him a definite edge over people who simply haven’t lived life this fruitfully. His material resonates with a more mature sensibility.

His most recent album, ‘Mortality Play‘, marks his first official release in a consolidated album format. Several of the songs date back 30 years or more, while tracks like ‘This Day‘ and ‘Holly’s Song‘ reflect a more mature perspective.

From the beginning of the album, starting with the track ‘Racetrack’, it is clear that this album is a gem. Steve Berman has an ability to compose songs that are generally unpredictable and folksy at the same time, which I think is a gift. The whole album even puts me in the mind of David Bowie as a corroborator of instruments and in terms of Steve’s vocal tone- the wispy, emotional depth between every word he simply utters.

I am very impressed with the mastering and the arrangement of the songs, to say the least. There was not a level missed, with the guitars and the drums equally having the time to shine. The drum beat in these songs form the backbone to the stiffness of the groove, with necessary build-ups and a groovy flair to them as well. The songs can range from ‘feel-good’, to simply emotionally palpable, and I think that’s a plus point to this body of work. There is not a minute where the songs are boring or low-quality at all.

There is a slight issue with the mastering of the vocals, but that can be easily rectified but turning the vocals up a little bit more and tuning the background vocals better. Songs like ‘Love Sucks’ bear an impressive and unexpected electric guitar solo, all while lamenting about the ill-willed feelings one can have towards the tumultuous nature of the pursuit of some types of love.

In comparison, the track ‘All My Love’ bear a lighter and fresher tone, offering a more innocent tone while still maintaining some sort of complexity, this time through the use of the drumming techniques and the subtle, flowing but dynamic bass.

I’d have to say, kudos to the lyrical songwriting as well. There’s a lot of depth and intent in these lyrics, which I think is very necessary to point out. In fact, I wish there was an official lyric list to these songs! They’re extremely well-written not just compositionally but also lyrically.

To throw some spontaneity into the mix, the track ‘What’s A Girl To Do‘ bears the vocals of a female vocalist, which is pretty apt considering the title and the lyrics. It’s extremely wholesome, with a more folksy and stripped-down approach to the instrumentation. It’s simple, but the melody and the arpeggiation in the background keeps my attention as the song goes on.

All in all, I think this is an excellent body of work filled with emotional intensity, purity, and a definite ear for proper music. This is not a vanity project, Mr. Berman, this is definitely a creative renaissance in its own way. I think, regardless of genre-bias, this body of work passes the test of musical universality and can be appreciated by most in a sincere way.

SCORE/ Excellent – ‘Mortality Play’ is a deeply personal and sincere body of work with great mastering and arrangement. The songwriting in it is excellent. I think there’s not a single song in here that someone can subjectively say is ‘boring’ or ‘bad’, with its intent shining through each composition, even if it is not ostentatious. There’s certainly a charm to this album.

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