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Elly Roberts reviews
Tangled Up Recordings
- January 2008
- Rating: 2/10
Local hero? Yes. Big star? No.
Bathgate might be going down a storm in his native Ann Arbor in WashtenawCounty, Michigan, but it looks like hes destined to be a parochial artist.
Trying to crack the UK market with an album like this is nigh on impossible.In the US, it may fair better, but I doubt it somehow.
With the majority of the songs taking a sombre tone, coming across as kind ofamateurish and uninspiring. Theres little here to grab the UK imagination,though you can never tell. Look what happened to Daniel Powter with single Bad Day.One minute Im resigning the album to the virtual scrapheap, and next thing thesingle hits the top 10.
Things are vastly different here though, with little, if any, opportunity of songsgetting airplay, via the likes of BBC Radio 2, which has a big hand in breakingmost US acts right now. One major drawback is Bathgates monotonous singing,plus the brooding and bleak template thats sustained throughout. WithSerpentine it bodes well, in a low key way, with hints of the masterfulBen Folds, as the keys clunk away in a tuneful manner, but things become verymorose very quickly on The Last Parade,using a stripped back approach:voice and acoustic guitar, though mid-course it changes dramatically with afuller sound only to cool off to the close.
Packing a punch, Every Wall You Own is more interesting to begin withbut lacks the legs to make a significant track, though his voice becomes slightlymore folky, and works better.
Thankfully, despite the continuing melancholy, Madison House proves the bestof the bunch while Bathgate plucks tunefully at his acoustic guitar and BrennanAndes adds sublime bass. Next two, Cold Fusion and A Flash Of Lightpass by unnoticed, whereas Restless sparkles, bringing back memories ofsomething from Beiruts magnificent Flying Cup Club. Some cool brass and funky beats.
By track 11, its all become a bit tiresome and predictable, and so, he finallygoes out on a whimper with tedious Coda.
Damien Rice does depressing brilliantly. Chris Bathgate has a lot to learn fromhim.
File under: Drab.
Weblinks:myspace.com/chrisbathgate /myspace.com/tangleduprecordings
The full list of tracks included are :
1. Serpentine
2. The Last Parade On Ann St.
3. Every Wall You Own
4. Smiles Like A Fist
5. Madison House
6. Cold Fusion (Snakes)
7. A Flash Of Light Followed By
8. Restless
9. The Last Wine Of Winter
10. Do Whats Easy
11. Coda
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.