Author: jerobear
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Siobhan Wilson: Say It’s True
Clannad are a mystery to us. One big hit and then a successful career based on churning out tedious Celtic tunery with lots of added atmosphere to make it seem more than dull as ditchwater. But someone must like them — and the world would be a dull place (even duller than Clannad) if we…
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Mike Garry / Joe Duddell St Anthony: an ode to Anthony H Wilson
Historian Christopher Hibbert once wrote about Francis Hare, sarcastically nicknamed “Silent”, who could not only speak every European language, but had a memory that was as surprising as his loquacity; he could repeat whole pages from almost any book that friends could mention. His chums, having had enough of this, made a bet that they…
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Brother and Bones: Brother and Bones
Brother and Bones are an excellent new band who struggle a little with the high standards they set themselves. Standout track is the album opener Kerosene, a musical explosion that’s pure Kings of Leon southern boogie rock, with stomping drums, pounding bass, a scuzzy guitar solo and the singer screaming tunefully about kerosene love. After…
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Nicholas Marshall: Songs and Chamber Music
It’s not just rock CDs that we misplace; this classical recording came out a few months ago but we, er, temporarily filed it in the wrong place (though when “down the back of the desk” is ever the right place, we don’t know). It’s actually got a fair amount of local interest: it features the…
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Trancescapes: Gaia Sadhana
Trancescapes features singer-songwriter Bill Bourne, who plays blues/rock/acoustic and is a respected muso in Canada, but he’s changed direction for this CD, billed as music for meditation. We assume he meditates and knows what he likes but it’s far from that bland New Age music you get in shops selling crystals and healing rocks, for…
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Cattle and Cane: Home
There are two Cattle and Canes on this new album, the ones who play catchy country-tinged pop such as the opener Skies and the ones who play blandly dull pop tunes that have as much traction with the listener’s brain as a greased pig on a pole. We always hope a band does well —…
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Darwin Deez: Double Down
Deez (Darwin Merwan Smith to his mum) released an improbably successful self-titled debut in 2010. We say improbable: on the flimsiest body of work known to man he sold some copies and landed good slots at festies. The album had a handful of good songs and the rest you could overlook because he was so…
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Thirteen Strings Chamber Orchestra: Beck: Symphonies Op.2
The title suggests orchestra but the music here is played by Canada’s Thirteen Strings Chamber Orchestra, which, as its name suggests is 13 strong (plus conductor Kevin Mallon). The result is a tight performance of these works, producing a pleasing CD. Franz Ignaz Beck was composing just before the “classical” period and the works performed,…
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Stone Foundation: A Life Unlimited
Brass, soul and Hammond organ: to people who like certain types of soul, this album’s mix of these sounds is probably preferable to a cosy night in with their spouse. Opener Beverley (which perhaps unavoidably has echoes of the Zutons’ Valerie in the chorus) is sublime soul, with strings, brass, Hammond and smooth vocals. It’s…
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