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Elly Roberts reviews
Black Ink Music
- Released: July 2006
- Rating: 8/10
Best known for her 1980 anthemic single Pilot Of The Airwaves,Charlie Dore returns with her second album in two years, followingSleep All Day And Other Stories (2004).
Working again with long-time collaborator Julian Littman who sharesinstrumental duties, they have created a real gem.
Dore said of her album, “I liked the freedom of going from Captain ofIndustry, which is just a schoolroom piano and brass band, to a tabla-basedgroove with Guy Barkers trumpet on top on Your Lover Called, to moreeastern-European influenced tracks like My Wayward Friend and When We Fall,then going west again with mandolin and dobro on Looking For My Own LoneRanger.On the other end of the scale weve got a full-tilt bluegrass track, WhenBill Hicks Died.”
The albums title is taken from the street where she was brought up, whichwas her family home until 2005. Inspired during the turbulence of last year,when she lost both her father Clinton and brother Rowan, the album isdedicated to them. On a commercial level it may not have mass appeal noneof her previous albums have made the top100 in the UK, so this may follow suit.However, Dore always manages to gain critical plaudits and this will nodoubt do so.
Her stylish and eclectic range is highlighted by a sumptuous opener YourLover Called with its urban -jazz fluidity, complete with raspinginglyedgy trumpet, through to the free flowing hook-laden Shoeless. Genteelpiano lead Looking For …floats delicately while the mandolin touchesput the icing on the cake.
Littman shines again as his mandolin dances flirtatiously throughoutSomeone Other, with Dores reflective voice reaching a peak ofsubtle beauty. Putting her foot on the pedal she romps through a lightweightbluegrass styled When Bill Hicks Died.
Elsewhere she excels on a beautiful ballad When I Fall, with herslightly warbled voice harking back to rootsy trad-folk, as she uncertainlysings, “Theres got to be something there when we fall.”
Possibly thebest track, Mr.Williams, full of steady eastern-European stylings(Indian harmonium, slide guitar, percussion and double bass ) drifts neatlyto the vocal highlight of Another Madeleine, the most basic song ofthe lot with Celtic harp, autoharp and Indian harmonium providing adelightful close to a very enjoyable collection.
Verdict? Simple and beautiful.
Weblink:Charlie Dore.com
The full list of tracks included are :
1. Your Lover Called
2. Shoeless
3. Looking For My Own Lone Ranger
4. Someone Other
5. Captain Of Industry
6. My Wayward Friend
7. When Bill Hicks Died
8. Five Minutes Later
9. When We Fall
10. Mr.Williams
11. Another Madeleine
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.