He can make big Hollywood appearances, but for now he’s relying on British understatement. Damian Lewis says he’s transitioning from acting to making music, which is why his debut album is called Mission Creep. He probably knows that he will never be as convincing as a songwriter and singer as, for example, as Nicholas Brody in “Homeland” (2011-13) – there are not many more spectacular series roles.
Lewis managed to make us feel sorry for a Marine turned Islamist assassin. Watching him play this broken character to the bitter end was almost physically painful. His music, on the other hand, doesn’t hurt anyone. “Curl your tongue around mine/ Let our limbs intertwine/ Climb up me like a vine/ Start me laughing, stop me crying”: Gets off to a good start. Lewis’ singing voice is not as urgent as his speaking voice; his nine own songs groove in a friendly manner.
He also covers Neil Young’s “Harvest Moon” (always a bad idea), JJ Cale’s “After Midnight” (usually boring), Leon Redbone’s “Why” and Dr. John’s “Such A Night” (both okay) – so it’s clear that this project doesn’t sound futuristic.
“No one needs it,” we often say in such cases – but Damian Lewis obviously needed it. For people who are already happy to have a talent (which they often doubt), it is difficult to understand why someone would want to explore other areas. Lewis has nothing to gain. However, there’s nothing to lose either.
The album is dedicated to his wife Helen McCrory, who died two years ago. Maybe it’s also about regaining the joy of life – and you can see the fun he has when he performs, you can also hear him in pieces like “Makin’ Plans”. In “Wanna Grow Old In Paris,” Lewis asks, cheerfully ignoring the usual roles: “Sip pastis at Café Flore/ If I’m de Beauvoir, will you be my Sartre?/ We’ll talk ’til we can talk no more… “
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Hugh Laurie and the Blues
Sometimes, when the horns rise, you can’t help but think of the other great British actor who loves the blues: Hugh Laurie. He played Gregory House for 177 episodes on “Dr. House” (2004-12), a similarly broken guy like Brody. We just had to love him too. Hugh Laurie was smart enough to secure the always tasteful Joe Henry as producer for his two albums “Let Them Talk” (2011) and “Didn’t It Rain” (2013), on which he mixes blues, gospel and jazz interpreted in its own way.
Laurie plays the piano and guitar decently, but of course it’s his voice that cuts it out. And yet – as beautiful and often bizarre as these suddenly very British US standards are, even Laurie never achieves the intensity he had as House. He is also tormented by the luxury of being multi-talented: he has actually wanted to write a second book for years; his spy farce “The Gun Seller” (1996) was very entertaining. Just where do you get the time from?
“Ambition bites the nails of success,” Bono once sang. The nice thing about Lewis and Laurie is that they don’t seem to have any ambition in their music. And who does something just for fun these days? We’ve probably heard our parents say “Don’t you have anything better to do?” too many times.