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DVDfever.co.uk – Jackie Leven and The Celtic Soulmen – The Haunted Year: Spring CD reviewElly Roberts reviews
The Haunted Year – Spring: Man Bleeds in Glasgow/Greetings from Milford – Live
Cooking Vinyl Records
- Released: May 2009
- Rating: Disc 1: 8/10; Disc 2: 6/10
- Vote and comment on this album:View Comments
Glaswegian hard man gets commercial release of fan-site CDs.
Released for the first time as commercial releases, these two live CDs catch Jackie Leven and chums at gigs in Water Rats Theatre London in 1998 and British Legion club Milford Derbyshire in 1999.In effect, this is a fan-club resurrection from the prolific Scotsman who has garnered a considerable fanbase through his live shows and an appreciation society he instigated The Haunted Valley, a quarterly magazine. He also released live album limited to members of the society, which included these two.
The first disc with Michael Cosgrave and Steafan Hannigan aka Celtic Soulmen is by far the better of the two. Its setlist is mostly drawn from his album Night Lilies (1998) arguably one of Levens best solo offerings on Cooking Vinyl. Not stopping just there, it also goes further back to material like Call Mother A Lonely Field.We get rustic ballads such as Farm Boy, love ballad Looking For Love to the whopping Celtic sound of the magnificent Glenarm, including some stirring Uillean pipe-work by Hannigan, and the country blues-tinged gem Man Bleeds in Glasgow.
The jewel in the crown is the divine ballad Poor Toun. This sweet and gentle song is beautifully sung, (his best vocal by a long stretch) enough to bring tears to the eyes.Coming a close second is the haunting ballad Deep Choking Wooded Death Fix highlighted by some stylish acoustic picking. The set closes with one of his most popular songs Call Mother Lonely Field which allows us to hear his soulful voice at its thrusting best.
All this is mixed with some sharp wit, playful inter band and audience banter.
The second disc he plays on the 1999 Haunted Valley Christmas Party in Derbyshire, with Kevin Hewick, Dan Britton and Lee Allatson aka The Stornoway Girls.
This time he delves into some fine covers by Van Morrison (Madam George) and Lou Reed (Im Waiting For The Man / Pale Blue Eyes) during his Velvet Underground days, Bill Withers (Who Is He And What Is He To You?) along with some fine originals like the jaunty Walking In Argyll and Listening To Crows Pray.His working of the gorgeous Pale Blue Eyes sees the same laidback template adopted by Reed, though Levens vocals sharpen things up considerably compared to the original. Waiting For My Man retains the originals roughnready swagger, though his vocal attack doesnt seem to catch Reeds 60s rock pulse.
He tries the same approach on the funky Who Is He..but his vocals dont match-up to Withers sublime soulful angst, but the wah wah riffs are superb.
The verdict Very good collection.
Weblinks:jackieleven.co.uk /cookingvinyl.com
The full list of tracks included are :
Disc 1:
1. Intro
2. Farm Boy
3. Guardian Preview
4. Glenarm / Burning The Box Of Beautiful Things
5. Looking For Love
6. Man Bleed In Glasgow
7. Golf On The Moon
8. Night Lilies
9. Snow In Central Park
10. Fear In Bermondsey
11. Poor Toun
12. Deep Choking Wooded Death Fix
13. Erotic Football Results
14. Call Mother A Lonely Field
Disc 2:
1. She Belongs To Me
2. Pale Blue Eyes
3. Walking In Argyll
4. Waiting For My Man
5. Listening To Crows Pray
6. Madam George
7. Who Is He And What Is He To You?
8. Paris Blues
9. Main Travelled Roads
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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.