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Elly Roberts reviews
Banana
- Cat.no: BANANA5
- Released: October 2005
- Rating: NO STARS
Sometimes the weathermen get the forecast wrong. So, it seems has Eileen Rose.
WARNING – don’t be fooled by the title – Come The Storm. After asurprisingly sunny (and enjoyable) start with Last New Year’s Eve, Wedon’t exactly get thunder and lightning, which the album title mightsuggest, only a virtually persistent low front.
Truth is, Eileen Rose is abelow than average singer and songwriter – she couldn’t knock together agood song if she really tried. Wandering into most slow numbers ofsombreness, and inaccessibility, the overall feeling is of a young lady whofails to be convincing at just about every front. Her singing is uncultured,verging on uncertainty, as she fails to impress on level.
Slowies, which make up the bulk, wander aimlessly into none- events. It’sthe kind of album you want to get through pretty darned quickly as littlegrabs your attention. When it does come, only two tracks appeal: they aregladly welcomed – the countryish White Wave and Never Be The Same actuallyshow the girl can lighten-up, but it’s in very short supply.
As if the album could get any worse after the sombreness of Saffron &Ginger, Staying In and Compass, were left with the aptly titled closer –Time To Go. In effect, Rose has committed the heinous crime of totalself-indulgence, and forgotten that someone (whoever they are!) mightactually be listening to this drivel.
Having relocated to her native USA from the UK, she opted for the Long ViewFarm Studios in Massachusetts in an attempt to kick start her career withher third album, which it would appear has failed miserably. Most of this ispurgatory for the listener.
Weblink:Eileen Rose.com /Banana Recordings.com
The full list of tracks included are :
1. Last New Year’s Eve
2. Never Be The Same
3. Stagger Home
4. Ocean Of Fire
5. Nothing But Blue
6. Saffron & Ginger
7. Staying In
8. Compass
9. White Wave
10. Time To Go
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.