David Berkeley Live At Schubas 07/30/2004

Opening with “Halloween Parade,” a tune that was unreleased at the time of this live recording in Chicago, David Berkeley shows the kind of intense artistry that befits a man who belongs more to an era of Neil Young and James Taylor than one of flashy fifteen-minutes-of-fame pop stars. When Berkeley does play a song for the crowd, it’s his own “Chicago,” which concerns the emptiness of a lost relationship with the town standing in as a sad metaphor. His humor and humble sincerity can be heard in the brief between-song banter. The recording quality is superior to the Maxwell’s live concert, recorded the previous day, with two songs overlapping (“Red,” “Fire Sign”) and most of the tunes coming from his highly recommended second album, 2003’s After the Wrecking Ships. The performance is equally affecting with Berkeley bringing great pathos to “All the Weight,” “Times Square” and “Straw Man” from his 2001 debut album, The Confluence. A rare talent who deserves much more attention.