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PLAYING OUT LOUD!
REVIEWS
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CD Album Reviews - CD Single
Reviews
Gig Reviews
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BLUES ON THE FARM, APPLEDRAM,
CHICHESTER – SATURDAY JUNE 21
 REVIEW
BY PETER ASHTON AND MARTIN SIRL
Martin and I made fleeting, separate visits to this friendly festival for just
one of four days’ entertainment. I arrived in time for some Thai food for lunch
before entering the big top to see Lisa Mills and her band. Lisa from
Mississippi charmed a good-sized crowd with her sultry singing and excellent
guitar playing, with the help of her upright bass player and backing singer. Her
songs ranged from gospel to country, but all with a blues tinge. She seemed to
appeal particularly to the male members of the audience, who formed a big queue
after her act to buy CDs which Lisa signed. I enjoyed her act, but prefer my
blues a little heavier.
 Much more to my liking
was the following act, Bullitt, a 5-piece from Swansea who played a raw and
dynamic set. Led by vocalist Ross, they stormed through a selection of covers by
the likes of Muddy Waters, The Band and Stevie Ray Vaughan, Lynyrd Skynyrd and
Jimi Hendrix. Ross’s rasping vocals were backed up by an excellent drummer Foxx
Kamio, bass player Aled, lead guitarist Duncan and keyboard player Julian. I
believe this band have not been together too long but they were brilliant –
Southern Blues Boogie at its’ best.
 The crowd didn’t want
Bullitt to go and called them back for a great encore. Then it was time for the
amazing guitarist Rodney Branigan from Amarillo, Texas (“yes I do know the way,”
quipped Rodney). A man with great stage presence and humour, Rodney blew away
the crowd with his percussive acoustic guitar style and strong voice.
Unfortunately I could not stay to see all of his act, which apparently included
playing two guitars simultaneously, but what I saw, I liked, and I will
definitely catch up with this talented artist in the future.
Martin Sirl took over later in the evening to see ALBERT LEE & HOGAN’S HEROES
and here is his report:
Albert Lee has a reputation as the guitar player’s guitarist and on this showing
it’s not hard to see why. Lee lit up the Blues On The Farm festival with a show
that demonstrated a mastery of his instrument so complete it’s enough to make
any budding young bluesman pack his plectrum away for good. But make no mistake,
this was no one-man show: (Gerry) Hogan’s Heroes are a well seasoned bunch of
musicians in their own right, not to mention a damn tight band to boot, ensuring
there would be little chance of Lee hogging the limelight here.
Opening with an energetic “I’m Ready” the band ran through a well-paced set
which comprised elements of R ‘n’ B, rock, country and jazz, all of which were
equally well received by an enthusiastic and knowledgeable audience. Highlights
included the hauntingly catchy “Runaway Train,” a 100 mph reworking of the trad
jazz standard “Tiger Rag,” and the ballad “I’ll Never Get Over You,” each member
of the band taking centre at some point in proceedings, with keyboard player
Elio Pace’s meaty contributions proving particularly popular.
At 90 minutes the set may have been a tad long for an early evening crowd
beginning to show signs of wilting from the effects of a day’s ready supply of
real ale. But by the time Lee and the band finished up with an extended "Country
Boy” followed by a cranked-up rendition of Johny Burnett’s “Tear It Up” it was
clear there were plenty here who could have happily handled a whole lot more
from a band whose grins were ample evidence of the fact that technical expertise
by the lorry-full doesn’t mean you can’t have a lot of fun showing it off.
CD Album Reviews
(top)
267d Cranmore Boulevard by Rain
It’s hard to knock the idea. A couple of middle-aged session musicians team up
with a professional lawyer to record an album for fun, then offer it for
download with the promise of donating all subscriptions to childrens’ charities.
Frankly any in-depth critical appraisal would be churlish. But, for the record,
this is the kind of the music your dads would make. Smooth, soft-rock in the
style of Moody Blues or latterday Dire Straits without a rough edge in sight.
This album stands up OK musically but falls down somewhat in the lyric
department. When lawyer/singer Alan ‘Bulldog’ Sinnett croons ‘Floating away like
a man lost in space…Colours so bright they grip my heart like a vice’ on one of
the album’s better tracks (Juice, you pretty much know that Morrissey won’t be
losing any sleep. But what the hell. This isn’t going to win any Grammys but I
doubt Rain really care. A lot of people will like this enough to send some dosh,
which ultimately is the sole point of the exercise. Review
by Martin Sarl
CD Single Reviews
(top)
BY MARTIN SIRL
Bring You Down by Attic Lights
Bring You Down by name but certainly not by nature. On this showing
it’s not hard to see why Island Records fought so hard to win last year’s
bidding war to sign Attic Lights because this Scottish 5-piece clearly have what
it takes to reach the top of their respective indie-pop tree. This song
basically has it all: neat hooks, a catchy chorus and bags of sugary harmonies,
all topped off by Kevin Sherry’s impressive vocalsThe whole thing adds up to
something not a million miles from Aztec Camera at their tuneful best.
Grow Fins by The Brute Chorus
Bluesy type number from a Camden-based band who are beginning to make a few
waves (sorry) on the pub circuit. Nothing fishy here (sorry again), just good
honest pop from a group clearly adept at taking a distinctly American formula
and adding their own touch of cheeky chappy cockiness to proceedings. Neat,
refreshing and wonderfully easy to listen to, this might just be one to keep an
eye on over those wet and warm summer months.
Fireworks by Jake Flowers
Lilting ballad from from a man scheduled to appear Southampton’s very own Hobbit
very soon. Fireworks is simple, understated folk; a charming love story set,
bizarrely, against an explosion in a fireworks factory. The remaining songs on
this EP are more intricate, Sticks And Stones in particular displaying a
versatility and inventiveness reminiscent of mid-seventies Roy Harper. If your
tastes are more Oysterband than Oasis then Jake Flowers may well be worth
checking out if you’re in or around the city on 11th July.
Neon City EP by The Exits
Crazy electro-dance from Portsmouth’s very own Exits. Like Klaxons without the
dark overtones this is heavily synthed atmospheric pop that most people will
adore or detest, but which will leave few lacking any real opinion. Strikes one
as a kind of musical equivalent of the dentist’s chair: sometimes pleasant,
sometimes painful, but ultimately once you’re in you ‘aint going anywhere,
sonny.
Maniac by Reemer
Clean, inoffensive pop of the kind that will go down a storm at many festivals
this summer, but which is unlikely to tax the inner workings of your iPod more
than a handful of times before the 'delete' option tempts. Ironically, the
accompanying Summer Sun is the more interesting track here, offering just the
tiniest hint that this bunch of fresh-faced Mancs might be capable of churning
out something a tad more adventurous than the type of indie filler already
swamping the airwaves of this great nation.
Pot Belly by Freshly Ground
Predictable, yet strangely appealing slice of pop/soul from a band who, by all
accounts, are huge in their native South Africa. Lead singer Zo Mohola’s soft
tones are an odd blend of Macy Gray and Minnie Ripperton and initially strike
one something of an acquired taste. But one is quickly drawn you into a cosy
world of sunny days and long evenings as Miss Mohola sings ‘Fat thighs, flabby
arms, a pot belly still gives good loving’, a message a million ladies will echo
and one we might all be hooked on humming along with for the rest of the year.
Qin Shang by Sa Dingding
It is sometimes easy to write something off too quickly so take care with this
one. It might take a few hearings but one soon realises that the wonderfully
named Sa Dingding is a young lady well worth taking notice of. Sung in Mandarin
(I think) to a traditional backing, Qin Shang is as sweet a ballad as anything
you will here this year, Sa sounding more than a little like a far eastern Kate
Bush. In stark contrast, Alive is a driving, hypnotic beast of a song which
fuses Tibetan, Sanskrit, Mandarin and electronica before worming its way
effortlessly into your sub-conscious.
The Live Sessions EP by Karen David
Silky smooth soul from Indian-born actress turned singer turned actress turned…
Immaculately produced and delivered, this set of songs contains touches of
Indian, Spanish and English folk, sometimes together, sometimes not,
illustrating that this young lady is nothing if not versatile. Miss David has a
truly fine voice and Stephen Bentley-Klein’s lavish string arrangements wash
over the whole thing like waves on a wonderful musical pond. Serve on a summer’s
day with strawberries and cream for a hamonious delight.
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