Post by James SftBH on Oct 16, 2007 23:31:15 GMT 1
How often have those of us of a certain age, sat down and pondered the question, what would Blue Oyster Cult's (Don't Fear) The Reaper have sounded like had it been recorded by CS&N with Flock's David La Flamme on violin.Clearly the same conundrum has been bothering the East Anglians, And so, enlisting Richard Lockwood to transpose the guitar solo to fiddle, they've posited their own answer on this third album. Makes you wonder why Eric Bloom and Buck Dharma didn't think of it in the first place.
Again built around the core trio of Messrs Kirk, Patridge and Hammond, returning regulars Helen Mulley on vocals (once more giving it the country Beautiful South touches) and banjo man Tony Winn are joined by a plethora of part timers and guests that include pedal steel man Nick Zala, cellist Liz Townsend and, among the heavenly choir backing vocals on the lyrically ambiguous Risk, Judy Dyble.
And, more good news is that the BOC reimagining isn't the only inspiration evident here, either. Not messing around, they get the ball rolling with one of the best numbers, Beartown Road, a rolling Gram-like country number with weeping pedal steel in which a man joins the other absent sons at the cemetery on Mother's Day, reflecting on his decision to put mom in a home. Lumps in throat all round. How good is it? So good it could have been written by Gerry Colvin.
Rummaging through the other cuts, you'll find yourself tapping toes to Her, a catchy little singalong with Mulley taking the woman left behind vocals, swooning through the romantic In My Arms which is basically their Lady In Red but considerably less annoying and beating time on the steering wheel as you plough through the spidery, violin scraping night of Song V, an East Anglian road song about keeping your eyes on the white line and listening to Del Amitri.
They've been in the trunks too to dust down a couple of numbers left gathering dust; Incredible a re-recording of an early 90s B side and Kings And Gods, a plaintively romantic song Mulley co-wrote and recorded with Steve Mears that proves another highlight to stand alongside Katy Did's touching portrait of a young girl growing up and the banjo flecked dust-throated Bob Lind-like Vanilla that contains references to, among others, The Waterboys, Guy Clark and Loudon Wainwright for those smart and with time enough to spot them.
It's all wrapped up in a bow with another old tune, parading their sea shanty and sway folk flavours with squeeze box and guest vocalist Paul Mosley for Come On # 2, a fine play out to an album that, as the title suggests, has the bark to go with its bite.
Mike Davies October 2007
Again built around the core trio of Messrs Kirk, Patridge and Hammond, returning regulars Helen Mulley on vocals (once more giving it the country Beautiful South touches) and banjo man Tony Winn are joined by a plethora of part timers and guests that include pedal steel man Nick Zala, cellist Liz Townsend and, among the heavenly choir backing vocals on the lyrically ambiguous Risk, Judy Dyble.
And, more good news is that the BOC reimagining isn't the only inspiration evident here, either. Not messing around, they get the ball rolling with one of the best numbers, Beartown Road, a rolling Gram-like country number with weeping pedal steel in which a man joins the other absent sons at the cemetery on Mother's Day, reflecting on his decision to put mom in a home. Lumps in throat all round. How good is it? So good it could have been written by Gerry Colvin.
Rummaging through the other cuts, you'll find yourself tapping toes to Her, a catchy little singalong with Mulley taking the woman left behind vocals, swooning through the romantic In My Arms which is basically their Lady In Red but considerably less annoying and beating time on the steering wheel as you plough through the spidery, violin scraping night of Song V, an East Anglian road song about keeping your eyes on the white line and listening to Del Amitri.
They've been in the trunks too to dust down a couple of numbers left gathering dust; Incredible a re-recording of an early 90s B side and Kings And Gods, a plaintively romantic song Mulley co-wrote and recorded with Steve Mears that proves another highlight to stand alongside Katy Did's touching portrait of a young girl growing up and the banjo flecked dust-throated Bob Lind-like Vanilla that contains references to, among others, The Waterboys, Guy Clark and Loudon Wainwright for those smart and with time enough to spot them.
It's all wrapped up in a bow with another old tune, parading their sea shanty and sway folk flavours with squeeze box and guest vocalist Paul Mosley for Come On # 2, a fine play out to an album that, as the title suggests, has the bark to go with its bite.
Mike Davies October 2007