Life Goes On

Life Goes On was the last Gerry Rafferty album to be released before his untimely passing in January 2011. Combining selections from his previous three albums with six new tracks, the album reflects both the Scottish singer/songwriter’s spiritual leanings and his affinity for traditional Celtic balladry. Life Goes On can be approached in part as a best-of sampler of Rafferty’s work from the ‘90s and ‘00s – such worthy tracks as the “The Waters of Forgetfulness,” “Love and Affection” and “The Land of the Chosen Few” attest to his productivity during this period. A spirited re-recording of “Your Heart’s Desire,” a tender reading of the folk tune “The Maid of Culmore” and an almost a cappella version of the Beatles’ “Because” are equally potent expressions of his nuanced, quietly elegant folk/rock sound. Rounding out the album are three newly recorded, gorgeously rendered Christmas hymns, with “Adeste Fidelis” achieving an especially ethereal glow. The warm, loving spirit that pervades these tracks made Rafferty an artist of lasting distinction.