| Pete Berwick’s
quarter century career seems to have left the man somewhat battered, but wiser for having
lived it and undeniably eager to continue down the road less traveled. People with this
unique perspective always make for the most interesting characters, and Pete Berwick is no
exception. He has the gravelly baritone of a man that has been there and done that. A
voice that allows him to deliver a line like "It’s only pain, I’m used to
it by now" and have the listener believe that pain to be very, very real. With his
latest release Only Bleeding (Shotgun), Berwick delivers 10 tracks that run the
gamut from pedal steel country to rock, and even displays some of his punk leanings.
Pete Berwick has been performing since the late
70’s. He’s done rock, punk, roots and straight-up country. He’s toured
regionally and lived in Nashville for a time. Now back in Chicago, Pete recorded Only
Bleeding in Palatine, IL and has been performing around Chicago. Pete has also done
some acting, and in ’99 he released a children’s album.
Only Bleeding features some of
Chicago’s finest talent – Brian Wilson bassist Bob Lizik, Lonnie Brooks’
drummer Patrick Doody, and Deluxery Keyboard player Denny Daniels – and, in addition
to the strong performances from the band, the CD is fairly well produced. Pete Berwick is
a singer/songwriter though, so the focus on Only Bleeding is Pete’s voice and
his message. Standouts include "Must Think She Loves Me", a catchy pop song
about a disillusioned man who foolishly expects an ex to someday come back to him,
"Chained", a slow brooding Johnny Cash-sounding song about lost dreams, and
"Only Bleeding", a ballad to a lost love, in which Berwick tells her not to
worry about him, after all he’s "…only bleeding."
The disc includes several other tracks that take
the listener down an interesting road. "Nuclear Boy" is a comedic punk song
about a man living near a nuclear power plant – yes, he glows. "Without Your
Love" is a rather typical love song with some doo doo’s in the hook. "Cold
Steel Gun" is a little too dramatic, even for Berwick’s weathered voice, and
it’s tale of a poor boy dying in the streets reminded this writer of Elvis’
"In the Ghetto" (and no one likes being reminded of In the Ghetto). These few
points aside, Only Bleeding is a great listen and it gives one a direct line into
the heart of Pete Berwick’s character. This peeling away of the layers, to reveal
one’s soul should be the goal of any singer/songwriter, and on that level, Pete
Berwick has succeeded admirably.
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