Life’s Eyes

George continues to chronicle his generations passage through life, at work, at home, at war and in nature, through relationships, memories and aspirations.

Augmented sparsely but tellingly by Vicki Swan and Jonny Dyer (in the guise of Georges itinerant Los Marbles)

George Papavgeris:Vocals, 12-string & 6-string guitars, djembe, shaky egg

Vicki Swan:Vocals, double bass, flute, Scottish smallpipes

Jonny Dyer:Vocals, guitar, accordion, keyboards

In many ways, this album is a simply a natural extension of what has gone before; George continues to chronicle his generations passage through life, at work, at home, at war and in nature, through relationships, memories and aspirations. The loss of both parents and some friends since the last album is also reflected here. And the powers of observation, the emotional honesty and the humanistic integrity are all there. What is different in Lifes Eyes is that there is a quiet confidence appearing in his writing, which is audible in the subtlety of the tunes, no longer aiming to surprise with elaborate arrangements but just as memorable. And the Greek influence is a little more overt now, too. Yet all songs are characteristically George in that they still afford the same deception of instant recognition, as if you have always known them. Its just that the support wheels are now off and the songs are free to make their own confident way in the world, unusual rhythms and all.

And the same confidence is evident also in Georges singing the best he has ever been. Regrets is probably the finest example of his mature and seasoned delivery. Augmented sparsely but tellingly by Vicki Swan and Jonny Dyer (in the guise of Georges itinerant Los Marbles) both in voice and on an assortment of guitars, bass, flute, small-pipes, whistle, keyboards and accordion settings (yes, Musette too!), the songs shine like so many precious stones. Or like windows lit on a dark night, each affording another view into the lives around us.