“Your Shadow at Morning” by The Durutti Column
Manchester’s Vini Reilly is one of the greatest guitarists you’ve probably never heard of. But whereas a lot of so-called guitar gods focus on technical prowess (e.g., frenetic fretwork, fiery solos), Reilly’s deft and delicate guitar-playing has always been more about texture and ambience. But not too long ago, it looked like Reilly’s musical career — which has influenced everyone from Johnny Marr (The Smiths) to Harry Styles — was basically finished after a series of strokes and struggles with arthritis left him unable to play. Even as recently as 2023, Reilly seemed ready to part permanently with his six-string; “I really can’t play guitar. It looks ridiculous. It sounds ridiculous,” he told The Guardian’s Daniel Dylan Wray.
Which makes the title of the new Durutti Column album, Renascent (lit., “renaissance”) all the more apropos. Not only does it represent a career renaissance, being the first Durutti Column album in 16 years, but Renascent also feels like a rebirth for a man who’s not only survived strokes and arthritis, but also bankruptcy, homelessness, and mental illness. Even if Reilly’s playing may no longer be up to his own personal standards, it’s nevertheless sublime on the album, and nowhere more so than “Your Shadow at Morning.”
Arguably the album’s most haunting piece, “Your Shadow at Morning” features Reilly’s trademark finger-picking set alongside plaintive drones and soft synth melodies. The song’s title might seem romantic, but its melancholy tone suggests something much more introspective, mournful, and even trepidatious. In other words, the sort of song written by a man who has probably spent more than a few mornings feeling like a shadow of his former self thanks to the predations of time and illness. The song is never maudlin, though, a testament to Reilly’s skill, as well as that of his collaborators (including longtime manager, drummer, and friend Bruce Mitchell). Rather, it’s deeply affecting, and it sets the stage for the rest of the remarkable album.
Renascent is currently available via London Records.