SINGLE REVIEW | NICK GARRIE | MY DEAR ONE

Nick Garrie is a well-established name amongst those infatuated with the psychedelia scene surrounding the late 60s and early 70s. Through over three decades within the industry Garrie has modestly released three studio albums so far, most notably ‘The Nightmare of J.B Stanislas’ justly cited as a “baroque pop masterpiece.” Most recently he has released a compilation of acoustically rerecorded songs from across all three studio albums. ‘The Songs of Nick Garrie, Vol.1’ was released in the middle of January and beautifully exemplifies how gracefully this artist has aged. 


A personal favourite on the album is a song called ‘My Dear One’ which was included on ‘The Moon and the Village’ back in 2017.  The original piece featured inclusions of the piano and violin however the songs’ overall motif feels better projected in all its acoustic glory.  Tender guitar playing simplifies the track meanwhile highlighting the main attraction, the lyrics. ‘My Dear One’ is interpreted as a touching story of a loved one suffering with dementia, hinted at with the line “and the hat that you’re missing so badly, you left on a stand in the hall”. The song briefly mentions this persons’ upbringing in the countryside and their grace. The second verse proves very emotive with the telling of this person now living in a care home with regular visits. The artist notes memories of him singing to his loved one in songs in which they have trouble remembering until they begin to sing along to one they do remember, an incredible piece of wholesome imagery.


Whether you relate to the experiences explained in the song or not you can’t help but be incredibly moved by its lyricism, helping you create a picture in your head. ‘My Dear One’ is just one example of how Nick Garrie’s work can bring a tear to one’s eye.  A truly underrated talent whose discography should not go undiscovered.