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Elly Roberts reviews
Red Eye Music
- September 2007
- Rating: 10/10+
Real quality music is hard to come by.
Clearly, Welshman Christopher Rees is more than just a musician. Hes also amusicologist. By definition, he has absorbed many genres, though Americana hasbecome his style of choice.
Rees has a thorough knowlwedge of the past, from luminaries Elvis, Bob Dylan,Johnny Cash to bluesmen Son House, Charlie Patton to soul legends Otis Redding,the Stax catalogue through to the Harry Smith Anthology from the 1950s. OnCautionary Tales hes proved once again, as he did with 2004’s debutSweetest Ache, hes emerging as Wales, and the UKs most profound musicaltroubadour.
The ex-Llanelli musician, now Cardiff based, admits being an admirer ofAmerican music since a young age. This fascination has manifested itself intosparkling results, on this eclectic third album, which is, in effect, aboutthe seven deadly sins, hence Cautionary Tales. This isnt a lightweight albumby any means. Lots of issues going on here.
Pooling all his skills, we get some observational work on the opener BucketFull Of Holes, a tale of promiscuity, all rolled out in a gentle countrifiedshuffle. Things pick up a pace on a rockabilly styled How Did You Sleep Last Night,a packed story of shock, jealousy and anger. Then comes the jewel in the crown,a splendid and soulful (Stax-like) duet with Victoria Williams on BottomDollar, which featured replacement singer Becky Newman for his appearenceon ITV Wales Guestlist. This song drips with classy singing as the pair questionthe fine line between love and platonic friendship: “You were close enoughto kiss / But cupids arrow missed / And our lips will never touch / That muchis certain”. Theres strings and brass aplenty, that take us back to theheyday of ’60s and ’70s Soul.
Changing musical template, finger-licking country-fuelled gem It Wont ComeEasy has all the classic hallmarks sublime pedal and lap steel, harmonicapunctuating Reess emotive singing, backed by songbird Becky Newman as theytackle issues such as patience, tolerance, defiance, apathy with lines like,“Theres a girl I know / She wont be told a damned thing / Theres aboy too tired to try / And his world revolves around her / But never with her /So he finds his comforts eleswhere.”
Similarlly, the magic is repeated later, on the hearfelt Until Love ComesAround Again, a tale, achingly told about emotional devastation and littlehope, via, “I could sleep in your empty bed / surrounded by the clothes youleft….”
Belgian songstress Charline Rose, juxtaposes her parting role in hushed Frenchsensuality while harmonica and strings wail in the background, adding to thetension and distress.
The big Blues romp happens on the title track as as the band dig deep into awhipped-up delta-Blues blast, whereas the simple country shuffle of Mary Lee(that would grace any Pete Seeger songbook), is a gruesome narrative of amurder ballad told by lines, “She never asked to be taken to that river atdawn / She never asked to have that red dress torn / And she never asked to bebeaten and covered in gasoline / No she never asked to be set on fire and pusheddownsteam.”
Trying a redemption trick, Mary Lees murderer bleats on A Sinners Serenadefor the albums simplest formats: vocals, banjo picks and finger clicks,capturing the sad souls desperate mood before hes committed to hell.
Rees stradles the stylings with consumate ease, conviction and genuine empathy.
Class from start to finish.
Weblinks:christopherrees.co.uk /myspace.com/christopherrees
The full list of tracks included are :
1. Bucket Full Of Holes
2. How Did You Sleep Last Night
3. Bottom Dollar (feat. Victoria Williams)
4. It Wont Come Easy
5. A Cautionary Tale
6. Mary Lee (feat. Becky Newman)
7. A Sinners Serenade
8. Virtues Vs Vices
9. The Calm Before The Storm
10. Dont let Your Heart Grow Cold
11. Until Love Comes around Again (feat. Charline Rose)
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.