(Photo by Michelle Grance Hunder)
I’m not sure about a lot of things.
Not sure if the Middle East is heading for an all-out war. Not sure if the stock market is teetering. But I am sure that Imogen Clark’s The Art Of Getting Through is the best album of this decade so far.
The Australian artist recently moved to Nashville after cutting her album at musical meccas like London’s Abbey Road Studios and Hollywood’s East/West Studio (where the Beach Boys recorded Pet Sounds).
If Bruce Springsteen and Maggie Rogers started a band, they wouldn’t be able to surpass the brilliance of this album. Every track is infused with a ferocious will to survive and thrive, even in the darkest of hours.
I urge you to watch the YouTube video on “The Making Of The Art Of Getting Through”. Imogen gathered a who’s who of musical luminaries to bring her vision to life: revered session players like drummer Jim Keltner, Americana legend Jim Lauderdale, members of Elvis Costello’s The Imposters, and many more.
Here are some of the highlights from this extraordinarily courageous album:
“Natural Predator”, a song that rocks the Richter scale like Springsteen as it explores the darker side of interacting with men.
“If Your Heart Never Breaks”, a co-write with Jim Lauderdale that’s one of the most powerful love songs ever penned.
“Silhouette”, a retrospective look at Imogen’s struggle with an eating disorder in her late teens.
“Big One”, a rousing rock anthem that I predict will one day be a monster radio hit, either for Imogen or another artist who can instantly hear the song’s potential.
There are many songs that helped me “get through” life with some semblance of sanity. Many of them were recorded where Imogen made her new record: The Beatles’ “In My Life”, The Beach Boys’ “In My Room”, etc. I’m sure that John Lennon would have been impressed with Imogen’s fierce courage and musical gifts.
In an era of streaming-driven mediocrity, Imogen Clark’s The Art Of Getting Through is an album for the ages.
