16-11-2025, 18:49
GRANT-LEE PHILLIPS ~ In the Hour of Dust
![[Image: MTMtODgwMy5qcGVn.jpeg]](https://i.discogs.com/VQfKisQlY39OAUrwOaE_ckI10KLwl6OPp1EPEkb6MR8/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:548/w:600/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTM1MDE1/NDQ0LTE3NTcwNzMy/MTMtODgwMy5qcGVn.jpeg)
Slipping up lately – this was released in September! Oops.
Gotta love GLP. The troubadour is in fine, if somewhat reflective voice. Extremely fine in fact! The album is titled for the time of day in India known as the hour of cow dust - when the herd returns from their pasture for the evening, churning up a haze of dust in an otherwise still landscape and providing a signal to those watching out at home that darkness is imminent and that it’s time to light the lamps. Inspiration for the title came from a painting he discovered while browsing an Art Museum, the album artwork, however, is his own.
These are ballads – reflective and somewhat sombre without being depressing despite being an expression of bewilderment at the general state of the planet - where we find ourselves – at what feels a bit like nightfall in some instances! Much in the same vein as Roger Eno’s latest album now that I think of it, just a different genre. I think Phillips is one of the good guys – he sticks to his guns, so to speak, and he has a wonderfully evocative turn of phrase. His music will not set the world alight, but it might sink deep upon repeated listening and what he produces is considered, thought-provoking and polished, without being too shiny.
“Did You Make It Through the Night Okay” pays homage to his Muscogee (Creek) heritage – there is no such direct greeting as ‘good morning’ or ‘hello’ in the language – rather the words ‘estonkon cukhayvtikv’ which more or less directly translated means just that – did you make it through the night ok? Also intended figuratively, as in have you come through your dark night of the soul or your trial or hardship, whatever that may have been.
… and “American Lions” because I like the lyrics and the ‘ooo’s’ …
Oh – and this is the first every collaboratively written song he’s released – with Jamie Edwards … “Bullies” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYjXj2EOSrA
Slipping up lately – this was released in September! Oops.
Gotta love GLP. The troubadour is in fine, if somewhat reflective voice. Extremely fine in fact! The album is titled for the time of day in India known as the hour of cow dust - when the herd returns from their pasture for the evening, churning up a haze of dust in an otherwise still landscape and providing a signal to those watching out at home that darkness is imminent and that it’s time to light the lamps. Inspiration for the title came from a painting he discovered while browsing an Art Museum, the album artwork, however, is his own.
These are ballads – reflective and somewhat sombre without being depressing despite being an expression of bewilderment at the general state of the planet - where we find ourselves – at what feels a bit like nightfall in some instances! Much in the same vein as Roger Eno’s latest album now that I think of it, just a different genre. I think Phillips is one of the good guys – he sticks to his guns, so to speak, and he has a wonderfully evocative turn of phrase. His music will not set the world alight, but it might sink deep upon repeated listening and what he produces is considered, thought-provoking and polished, without being too shiny.
“Did You Make It Through the Night Okay” pays homage to his Muscogee (Creek) heritage – there is no such direct greeting as ‘good morning’ or ‘hello’ in the language – rather the words ‘estonkon cukhayvtikv’ which more or less directly translated means just that – did you make it through the night ok? Also intended figuratively, as in have you come through your dark night of the soul or your trial or hardship, whatever that may have been.
… and “American Lions” because I like the lyrics and the ‘ooo’s’ …
Oh – and this is the first every collaboratively written song he’s released – with Jamie Edwards … “Bullies” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYjXj2EOSrA
"The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that it has never tried to contact us." ~ Bill Watterson
