I still find it difficult to imagine Richard Buckner's sales pitch to the CEO of Overcoat Recordings when he first decided to record The Hill.

RB: "Well, have you ever read Spoon River Anthology?"

CEO: "You mean that book of poems about all of those dead people?"

RB: "Right. The collection of tombstone epitaphs."

CEO: "Mmm-hmm..."

RB: "Well, I've written music to accompany them. I want to record it as my next album"

... at which point I'm picturing the CEO gagging on his coffee and telling Buckner never again to set foot inside his office.

The problem with this vision is that those in charge of Overcoat Recordings, a rather obscure little record label out of Canada, must be far more intelligent and open-minded than the record executives running the show at a full 95% of labels. Individually, concept albums and truly intelligent singer/songwriters are a hard sell anyway. Combine the two, and it's truly remarkable that Richard Buckner's absolutely brilliant album The Hill was ever recorded at all.

As mentioned in my feeble attempt at writing dialogue for a man like Richard Buckner, the eighteen tracks on The Hill are actually selections from Spoon River Anthology, an unusual collection of poetry from which many people likely read at some point during their high school English courses.

As a work of literature, Spoon River Anthology is nothing short of an anomaly. Edgar Lee Masters' bizarre little collection of 244 epitaph-poems is something that has baffled literary scholars since its first bound publication-- initially, the poems were published serially-- in 1915. While lacking in the "canonical" qualities of the great American poets-- Dickinson, Whitman, et al-- the uniqueness of Masters' collection cannot be ignored.

Referring to Spoon River Anthology as a novelty would cheapen its resonance, but, at bottom, that's just what it is. The fact that Masters was able to give voice to such distinctive characters in such limited space, then to make those characters' lives intertwine in such a complex manner that would make Paul Thomas Anderson wet himself, is testament to the enigmatic brilliance of this writing. The cultural implications, however, of Masters' irony-free verse, which portrays social decay in frank, specific detail, have made Spoon River Anthology one of the most significant works of poetry of the twentieth century.

Richard Buckner, acclaimed as one of the most gifted singer/songwriters of his generation since the 1992 release of his debut album Bloomed, has commented that he first discovered Spoon River Anthology while working in a bookstore, and that he was struck by how it lingered in his memory. Dropped by his original record label a few years back, Buckner has toured the club circuit relentlessly, all the while writing some instrumental music, since he hadn't felt particularly inspired to write new lyrics.

Eventually, he thought of using these new arrangements as the background to some of the haunting voices from Spoon River.

The result turned out to be one of the most intelligently crafted concept albums ever released-- and The Hill is unquestionably one of the 10 best albums of 2000, an achievement every bit on par with the acclaimed releases by Radiohead, OutKast, and PJ Harvey.

Before recording, Buckner pored over Spoon River Anthology, eventually settling on 18 poems he viewed as his favorites. The music for some of these pieces, Buckner has said, was even written AS it was being recorded, not that anyone would ever be able to tell that such striking and inspired musicianship was improvised.

The poems Buckner selected do not necessarily tell a single cohesive story. Rather, much like a sampling of Spoon River Anthology should, The Hill tells the stories of a few distinct individuals in addition to several overarching plots which connect multiple characters.

The stories really aren't the emphasis of The Hill, though. Instead, the lyrical qualities of Masters' lines are highlighted by Buckner's thoughtful arrangements. Even more thought-provoking, however, are the instrumental tracks-- music inspired by, but independent from, the actual verse. "A.D. Blood," one of my favorite poems, is one such example. Initially unassuming, it is perhaps one of the most slyly crafted pieces in the ...Anthology. Buckner's intense acoustic guitarwork for this piece is one of the album's highlights, as well.

Buckner's evocative, rugged baritone is in excellent form throughout the vocal tracks, his remarkable sense of phrasing put to perhaps the ultimate test with the material here. Though not one of the greatest folk-rock vocalists-- Emmylou Harris springs immediately to mind-- Buckner's voice is yet another asset to his ever-intriguing music, and its somber qualities have never sounded more appropriate.

The production and the musicianship on The Hill are simply first-rate. Intricate acoustic and electric guitar riffs emphasize the form of the poetry on display-- chord progressions, for instance, often correspond to line breaks, showing Buckner's unparalelled eye (and ear) for the finest of details. Under-produced almost to a fault, the minimalist blend of instruments is stunning.

The Hill is also the perfect length-- the 18 poems have a total running time of just over 34 minutes, since Buckner doesn't clutter up the unapologetic simplicity of Masters' poetry with excessive music. Instead, Buckner's music serves as the ideal compliment to the poetry.

A Caveat: The 18 songs were recorded as one continuous track, largely because Buckner was so pleased with the specific order in which he placed the songs. If, like me, you're interested in playing this amazing material on the radio, this can require a lengthy cueing period. When listening to the album on your own, Buckner's instincts were, not surprisingly, correct in regard to the song order. Really, the stories of Mrs. Merritt and Tom Merritt belong in sequential order.

And the beautiful "William and Emily," with its refrain of "There is something about Death / Like Love itself!" is the perfect closing sentiment.

For Fans Of: Bob Dylan, John Hiatt, Neko Case, Emmylou Harris, Bruce Springsteen; Edgar Lee Masters (duh), William Blake.


Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Reading or Studying