Rest In Blue

Compiled by his daughter Martha (who is to be commended for the stylistic unity she has imposed on this album), it’s nevertheless a decent final chapter in the Gerry Rafferty story.

It’s a wide-ranging final chapter two, containing both remakes (a reasonable reworking of Stealer’s Wheel’s Stuck In The Middle With You), traditional numbers (Dirty Old Town, Wild Mountain Thyme) and a cover – Richard and Linda Thompson’s It’s Just The Motion (originally recorded by the Thompsons with Rafferty as producer). 

Despite the variety and the timescale, there’s a unity to this set, held together by an era-unspecific production (many synths were erased from the tapes), Rafferty’s unique voice, and contributions from, among others, frequent Rafferty sideman Hugh Burns. A suitable memorial to a much-missed talent.