Memory Ghost - the latest music release by Steve Tallis: A Review

This is my third review of releases by Steve Tallis. It has been my pleasure to write reviews on Steve’s music over the past 10 years.

My first review, in 2014, was on his album “The First Degree“. This was followed in 2020 by his release, “Where Many Rivers Meet“.

memory ghost - the latest music release by steve tallis: a review — [CLICK to enlarge]

Steve is one of a number of Australian artists that have never received the recognition in their own country they deserve.

Well known in his home state of WA, he is generally lesser known on the East coast. Certainly he is quite well know in Paris, where he lives and works as a full time musician.

In fact, I only became aware of Steve just over 10 years ago. This was just prior to the release of his album – The First Degree.

My recognition of Steve came about playing another album by an Australian blues artist – Dave Hole. On track 2 of the album: The Plumber, Dave was acknowledging some of the blues greats:

“Albert Collins sings the Blues
Eric Clapton sings the Blues
Steve Tallis sings the Blues
B.B. King, Freddie King, Albert King . . .”

I thought, I know all those guys except Steve Tallis! Who is Steve Tallis?

I quickly found out and was drawn to his compositions, his voice and his playing.

Steve is an Australian Griot. Another description is a Blues Sharman! Among his massive list of influences are: Leadbelly, Coltrane, Miles Davis, the Wolf, JB Lenoir and Dylan. But, his influences far surpasses those of individual artists. They cover styles such as found in the music of Africa, India, Haiti and also, Islamic music.

In both his recorded and live shows, his love of blues, gospel and acapella field hollering, literally bursts through.

Now he has recorded “Memory Ghost“, which will be released on October 8th.

It would be a big mistake to think that the three albums I have mentioned represent Steve’s music. Far from it. In fact since 1968 Steve has released over fifty albums and the diversity of his music is stunning.

With “Memory Ghost” we literally have a cornucopia of styles. It really isn’t just a single album. In fact this release consists it consists of THREE differing CD’s.

Steve’s initial concept was for a 2-CD release, one solo and one with the band. However, after discussing a range of possibilities with friend and music compatriot, Gary Ridge, he decided that the available material for release warranted three CD’s.

Let me explain using some of Steve’s own words.

MEMORY GHOST – “A memory ghost is a memory that is so strong, it’s left an invisible mark so it can never be forgotten. Some memory ghosts are so strong they cause an eruption of emotions”.

CD#1 – DUO with Gary Ridge

Gary lives in Brazil – he and Steve have done 4 previous albums together – Loko, Zozo, Jezebel Spirit and, Monkey Skull. Incidentally, Steve recorded the acoustic guitars and some electric guitar parts October 18, 2023 at the Poons Head Studio, Fremantle.

Memory Ghost (Duo) tracks were sent to Gary to see what percussion he could add, with Steve giving him the authority to choose which tracks to use for his percussion.

They added some loops and also the 4 spoken word vocal tracks which in turn were recorded in Paris. where as indicated earlier, Steve spends significant time living and playing.

What made it interesting for Steve, was that he had no idea what tracks Gary would choose to work on. Gary would sent Steve the tapes to review and at that point Steve decided what would or wouldn’t be used.

This particular CD in the set – Duo, was mastered in Brazil using the professional studio staff Gary regularly worked with.

Rob Grant was the album engineer. Rob works at Ponds Head Studio and has worked with many Australian artists such as Tame Impala and Nick Cave.

He recorded Steve’s last solo album, Where Many Rivers Meet.

CD #2 – Memory Ghost With The Snakes of Desire. This incarnation of the group consists of Phil Bradley on Guitars; Yugon Chobanoff on Drums, Hans-Aage Deberitz on Bass and of course, Steve on vocals and guitar.

Steve has indicated that he so enjoys working with these musicians and so it is that on his return to Australia, he will work with them live once again.

The tracks on this CD were recorded live first take on the 16/10/23. Again the Poons Head studio was used.

As a matter of fact, Steve chose some of the tracks for this album, from his last solo album. This was his opportunity for him (and us) to hear how they sounded with a band.

Interestingly a few of the tracks used, were written and improvised on the night they were recorded. Such an example is the track Skeletons In My Closet.

I have featured this track below.

CD #3 – Memory Ghost Solo

Now we hear Steve playing and singing Solo.

This CD was recorded live on the 18/10/23 at the Poons Head Studio. It does include some- live tracks from a previous sessions.

It provides the listener with the opportunity to hear Steves range of vocal styles and indeed, some of his great work on the acoustic guitar, without being drawn elsewhere by other instrumentation.

This is an album where the compositions, playing and production, all scream out – QUALITY!

So, it wouldn’t be much of a review without a taster or two of some of the music from this set.

This is no easy task, as the styles vary and I need to be wary of giving too much away. After all, the pleasure is not just the unwrapping of the present, but in its use!

So we begin at CD #1 – the Cd – Duo, with Gary Ridge and, the difficult task of choosing tracks to share with you!

This is a problem I came across with all 3 Cds.

Two Sides (To Every Story). A track the features Steve’s vocal abilities as well as his acoustic playing. Now the accompanying percussion is that of a strong and skilful drummer, who is able to mix and match his rhythms in the one track.

We also get to hear more of Gary Ridge’s ability to demonstrate polyrhythms further, in other tracks that I’ll share later in this review.

In my mind this track pretty much meets all the criteria for a great “commercial” track. I hope Steve doesn’t mind me using the term “commercial”.

Steve neither composes or plays with “commercialism” in mind, in fact he is quite scathing of where commercialism in music has led us.

So what do I mean? Two Sides is one of those tracks that by all that is righteous should get airplay on commercial radio allowing more people to hear it because it is so damn good!

Sadly, it won’t be played!

But you can make up your own mind, just check it out!

Two Sides

I struggled to just choose one more track and so, I present to you two more tracks of Steve and Gary, from the Duo CD.

True Religion is one of those tracks where, if your feet aren’t moving, it means they are nailed to the floor or, you’re dead!

True Religion

My other track to share is also highly rhythmic, Devil’s on the Main Line. It starts out basically acapella before Gary imposes himself into the track with a feast of percussive rhythms. I wrote earlier of the influences on Steve, and some of them just ooze out of the speakers as the track reveals its secrets.

I love this track!

Devils On The Main Line

On to CD#2 – Memory Ghost, with the Snakes of Desire

Having listened to this CD multiple times I managed to reduce the possible tracks to share with you down to five.

Trk 4 – Two Sides To Every Story

Trk 10 – Skeletons In My Closet

Trk 12 – Cut Your Heart In Two

Trk 15 – Someone Is Missing

Trk 17 – She Makes Me Shiver

Then I agonised over which three tracks to drop!

I failed on my mission yet again, and after a lot of internal debate I chose to feature three of the five.

I think it’s important to hear how a great track featuring just Steve and Gary (Chosen from the Duo CD), can sound equally as great while being different. Now we hear that track we listened to earlier reinterpreted when played by Steve and the Snakes Of Desire.

So, check it out.

Two Sides To Every Story

Track 15 is, Someone Is Missing. What a powerful guitar based track, with powerful vocals and a tight bass and excellent rhythm section. This IS a track I’d love to hear live because I think it would blow the roof off any venue.

Steve puts everything into his voice and his fingers and, the Snakes of Desire don’t let him down with their backing.

Would someone bring this band across to the East Coast!

Someone Is Missing

The third and final track from this CD is, She Makes Me Shiver – Track 17.

Who doesn’t love a good track about love? Now the track starts off gently and melodically for the first 10 seconds, and then the Snakes smoothly slide in and make their presence known. A love ballad and power, mixed together, brings to our ears. . . a powerful love ballad.

She makes Me Shiver

Oh dear – I also said I’d share some of the track Skeletons In My Closet!

One thing a reviewer cannot do is go back on his word. So, here is a taster! Two minutes of a much longer track.

Remember, this is a track that was composed and played for the first time on the night of the recording.

Skeletons In My Closet

So we come to the third and final CD in this set of three.

Memory Ghost Solo is our opportunity to strip everything back to the real basics. To take away the wonderful “distractions” of other musicians and instruments, and to lay bare the man and his music.

This CD has 23 tracks.

There should be no doubt by now that while Steve has in some ways a focused style of music, it is also quite eclectic. This is amply demonstrated when we are presented with both original pieces and, covers.

Now we have the opportunity of hearing the man “do his thing” and open himself up to his listeners. “Here I am”…”Hear, I am”

As JJ Cale once sang – “Nowhere to run and nowhere to hide”.

Steve gives it all to us. Once more I just agonised on what trax to share.

I start of with a cover! Track #4 – I’m Mad Again.

Originally written and recorded by the great John Lee Hooker back in 1961, it has been covered over and over again. Alan Price recorded it in 1994 as part of a medley, the Animals recorded it in 1964 and the version that I first took to, even before I heard the original, was by The Pretty Things, in 1965.

It was certainly a staple track in one of my first bands back in 1965.

But this is about Steve Tallis and his music. Steve does not just an excellent version to my ears, it is a brilliant interpretation.

No wonder Dave Hole included him in the same breath as the black American blues singers in his track, “You Don’t have To Be Pretty To Sing The Blues” from the Plumber album that I mentioned earlier in this review.

I make no judgement on whether Steve is pretty or not, but oh man, he CAN sing the blues!

I’m Mad Again

Track 15 – is Arrows Of Desire. Some music have the lyrics that are used almost as a filler to that music. In other music the lyrics can be meaningless at worst and meaningful to just the writer, at the best.

Then, there is music where the lyrics tell a story!

Now Steve is by no means unique in an ability to tell a story through lyrics.

However there is no doubt he has developed both skills in writing and composing. This track demonstrates not only an ability by him to tell a meaningful story, but to demonstrate some beautiful acoustic guitar playing.

Arrows Of Desire

Finally, Same Thing – Track 18.

Steve is a Blues Shaman and I love the blues!

So it’s no surprise that my final piece is possibly the best blues track on the CD, and that IS saying something.

Steve sings, plays guitar and produces some damn fine harp playing (that’s a harmonica for those unfamiliar with the term).

That harp rises and falls punctuating and supplementing the beautiful acoustic blues guitar.

The only things that trumps these two instruments is Steve’s singing. Yes, its another cover – a Willy Dixon piece and Steve does it so much justice.

Same Thing

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Another thing about Steve is that he always acknowledges those who assist him and those who have had an influence on his music.

It is a measure of the man’s commitment to his music in its totality.

Back in November 2020 I wrote of Steve – “Australia is, and always has been, rich in talent. At a period where less ‘true’ music is being heard, it is only right that we support all Australian artists who make the effort to provide us with class music that is rarely heard on radio.”

Nothing has changed to make this statement any less true when it comes to artists like Steve Tallis.

So how do you, the reader, get a copy of this great set of music?

The three CD set cost is only $40 plus postage . However some readers may not want a physical copy but just the download versions of the the albums. These are also available, with the digital download costing $25 for 3 CDs or $10 per CD downloaded.

The CD’s will be available from Steve’s online shop as of October 8th. Just click on Steves picture which will take you to his web site, and then you simply go to his online shop.

Finally, for those readers in WA, Steve has arranged a series of shows to promote the albums and, here they are.

WA TOUR – OCTOBER 2024 – “MEMORY GHOST” (New album)

Saturday October 5 – LANCELIN SANDS HOTEL – 8pm – 11pm

I North Street, Lancelin 6044 – Phone: 08 9655 1005

https://www.lancelinsandshotel.com.au/
https://www.facebook.com/p/Lancelin-Sands-Hotel-100087755138497/

Saturday October 12 – LUCKY GOAT FACTORY (Fremantle)

8.30 – 11.30pm – with special guests

Craig Hallsworth and Magnets Have Souls and Shaun Corlson

https://www.facebook.com/luckygoatfactory/

Sunday October 13 – MARGARET RIVER BREWHOUSE

4.30 – 7pm – Solo

https://www.margaretriverbeer.co/