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Elly Roberts reviews
EMI
- Cat.no: MAD2601CD
- Released: April 2006
- Rating: 4/10
- Format: Mini-LP
Its highly unlikely that this debut mini-LP will become a commercial success. The full blown follow-up later this year may also suffer.
In fact it may just disappear without a trace. This snail-paced album is fullof alternative-country rambling soundscapes by southern hero Micah P.Hinson and erstwhile side kick John Mark Lapham of The Earlies.
Their meeting was through a mutual friend. They discovered that they were fromthe same neck of the woods the west Texas town of Abilene, though theirmusical backgrounds are very different.
Away from their independent careers, this side project, pools their undeniabletalents into the ultimate chill-out collection of five tracks that willsnuggle you up, or switch you off, literally depending on your mood.
Jam-packed with various instruments, for which they split responsibilities,Latham and Hinson coolly handle banjo, mandolin, thumb piano, blow tuner,harmonica (and even) a toy accordion, along with effects. With itschurch-like opening, Lila Blue plods reverently until it crescendos into acacophony and falls limply after a staggering 8 minutes 33 seconds.
Track 2, The Late Cord, begins with a crackly loop whilst Hinsonsquirky drone-like vocals glide across the haunting musical background, a laMike Oldfield (Tubular Bells). Semay Wus sombre cello work on Chains/Stringstakes us into funeral territory, becoming the musical low-point.
Further plodding piano and church bells add to the pairs collective vocalsin true Leonard Cohen spirit as they meander through My Most Meaningful etc etc.Finally, the dark Hung On The Cemetery Gates brings the true musicalhighlight, with Henry Da Massas dust-fuelled and hauntingly beautifulharmonica rising above Hinson and Laphams eerie lyric-less drones.
At times its hard work, very hard work, though the net result is interestingif nothing else.
Not for the casual listener Im afraid.
Weblink:4AD.com
The full list of tracks included are :
1. Lila Blue
2. The Late Cord
3. Chains / Strings
4. My Most Meaningful Relationships Are With Dead People
5. Hung On The Cemetery Gates
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.