Walking Through Fortis Green

By Michael Kraus - December 1999

It was recently noted (in two separate papers delivered at two separate conferences) that (1) Dave Davies is perhaps the only original British Invasion artist whose best work is assuredly still ahead of him and (2) Dave Davies is completely and utterly underrated in terms of what he has already accomplished as an artist - as guitarist, yes, but also as songwriter, vocalist, arranger, and so on. Fortis Green, Davies's first release as part of his new Demo Series, brilliantly brings the two above points into focus. As others (especially Bill Crowley) have noted so well, Fortis Green reveals aspects of Davies's artistry heretofore hidden - and the implications of these revelations for future Davies projects is electrifying. And the release of Fortis Green (as well as the impending release of other Demo Series titles) adds to the available Dave Davies canon of work and forces an ever-elevating re-evaluation of it.

In specific terms, the CD is extraordinary on many levels, levels which sometimes extend the Dave Davies artistic tradition and other times stake out entirely new territory. Since Davies is known to general rock music fans primarily as a lead guitarist, perhaps the guitar playing on Fortis Green is the place to begin. The first thing one notices about the guitar playing is that there is not a great deal of it (especially soloing) on the CD. But the second thing one notices is that this is not surprising, not a problem, and not relevant: not surprising because these tracks are demos, not completely finished tracks; not a problem, because the tracks are so superb on other levels; and not relevant because it is quality, not quantity, that counts, and the guitar playing that is here is great. Examples include the funk riff in the first part of "Let Me Be" and the solo in the latter half of the same song; the bizarre, "treated" guitar sound of "Voices"; and all the guitar styles of "Love in the World," from the intro chording to the later Duane Eddy/Lee Hazlewood-style fills to the soaring closing solo. As ever, Davies's solos and rhythm playing are precise, concise, imaginative, and entirely in harmony with the overall structures of the songs they are a part of; that this artistic sense and focus is evident even on demos reinforces why Dave Davies is THE guitarist of his generation of players.

Numerous other aspects also stand out. Especially evident here is the degree of sophistication of both lead and backing vocals and of the arrangements of both. Davies appears to be fully and confidently exploring the vocal possibilities of many of these songs: note the fade-out vocals of "Let Me Be"; the soaring range exhibited in "Love in the World"; the lead-vocal phrasing of "Away From You," "Fortis Green," and "Soothe Sayer"; and especially the excellent and imaginatively arranged backing vocals (often featuring Kate) on such tracks as "Voices," "Away From You," "Fortis Green," and "Listen to the Spirit." Another subtle use of vocals is as a dramatic shift in point of view that sounds as if it comes out of nowhere, such as in "the Voice said" interjection toward the end of "True Phenomenon." Davies has always been severely underrated for the vocal excellence of his recordings (see all of Chosen People for examples of that excellence, to start), but on Fortis Green he seems to have taken a further step, integrating vocal and instrumental sounds to the point they are interchangeable (again, in the fade-out of "Let Me Be" but also on such tracks as "Listen to the Spirit" and "Soothe Sayer") and thereby making the vocals an essential part of, rather than an interpretation of, the song.

This sensitivity to nuances of sound as a constructive element (as opposed to the demo- sound-quality aspects of some of the individual tracks) is evident throughout Fortis Green. The "Eastern sounding" (whatever that is) opening of "True Phenomenon" coalesces throughout the song into the subtle merging of Indian and American Indian musical motifs. A beautifully understated piano is juxtaposed with a synthesizer line in the sweeping "Away From You," perhaps the most heartfelt love song ever from the Davies brothers. The entire arrangement of the already-a-legend-before-it-was-even-released-on-CD "Fortis Green" exhibits a supreme sensitivity to the subtleties of sound. Note also the restrained production and arrangement of a song that by its nature requires a loose-but-not-too-loose feel, and the superbly recorded acoustic instrumentation. Of course, bass sounds are also used to excellent effect throughout Fortis Green--perhaps that skill is a family trait?

Issues of vocals and overall sound inevitably connect with the songs themselves. On Fortis Green, there is not a bad song in the lot, but I'd especially single out four songs in succession toward the latter half of the CD. I think "Away From You," "Fortis Green," "Love in the World," and "Listen to the Spirit" are as good as anything Dave Davies has ever written in terms of hook, melody, rhythm, vocal structure, and lyrical content. While Davies has always written great melodies (and almost never received credit for doing so), he surpasses himself on "Love in the World." While he has always been capable of precise, evocative imagery, he exceeds himself in the plethora of personal, cultural, historical, and universal imagery he imbues "Fortis Green" with--to great effect: Those listeners who have never physically been to Fortis Green now "go there" frequently via this song. Davis has also developed a real sense of the sound potential of words themselves, as seen, for example, in "Soothe Sayer." To begin, the title itself is an entirely relevant pun (on soothsayer) that connects the predictive connotations of soothsayer with the nurturing connotations of soothe to form a conceptual whole. And the consonance, assonance, and alliteration of lines such as the following line serve rhythmic, melodic, and thematic functions within songs: "When you walk that rocky road, you need food to feed your soul."

The final point I'd like to make about the artistry of Dave Davies as evident in Fortis Green is the degree to which he has fused his spiritual visions into his art and his person. It is very difficult to write about intensely spiritual issues without preaching to people or just describing one's own experience to people; it is to Dave Davies's entire credit that he goes well beyond that throughout Fortis Green. He uses his musical, vocal, and lyrical sophistication to lend listeners a hand, to show them the spiritual site. How listeners choose to respond to this renewed sight is up to them.

One final and far from inconsequential aspect of the CD is that it is fun: fun to listen to (the lyrics of "Fortis Green," for instance, invariably brings a smile) and, judging by some of the playful lead and backing vocals and even an invitation to dance, fun for Dave Davies and everyone else to make. As for me, when I first heard about the Demo Series plans I felt like the singer in "True Phenomenon": "I thought I was in heaven." And every time I listen to Fortis Green, I still feel I am in heaven, or at least in Fortis Green, which sounds here like the next best thing.

Click here for the complete track listing for Fortis Green

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