A Permanent Shadow is a band for want
of a better description. Its only fixture is CP Fletcher who for the
recording of the debut album “Songs of Loss” surrounded himself with a
rotating cast of musicians and producers.
CP took his first steps as a frontman
forming a Lou Reed tribute project, The Magic and Loss Orchestra. Such
is his admiration for the curmudgeon from New York that the tribute
experience ended up bleeding into A Permanent Shadow via a cover of
“Sword of Damocles”, originally featured on Reed’s “Magic and Loss”
album and included on “Songs of Loss” in a reworked form. The album also
features a reading of “See the Lights” by another of CP’s
heroes, Simple Minds. Both fit seamlessly into the record’s overall
themes of loss and reflection.
Speaking of heroes: The song “Sailor”
contemplates the influence of David Bowie not just on CP but on various
generations of misfits, as well as the impact of his untimely passing.
“Songs of Loss”, however, not only mourns the loss of loved ones. Losing
faith, the fear of solitude and experiencing failing health are other
themes the album explores.
The music is a blend of old and new.
The songs draw from the likes of Iggy Pop and Scott Walker as well as
more recent artists like John Grant, Editors, Interpol and Franz
Ferdinand among many others, encompassing post-punk, funk-punk and
synth-pop.
