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DVDfever.co.uk – Mama: Crow Coyote Buffalo CD reviewElly Roberts reviews
Fly Like A Sprite Records
- Released: Jan 2009
- Rating: 8/10
- Vote and comment on this album:View Comments
Songbirds fly high.
Cornwall based duo Zoe Pollock (well come back to her later) and Sarah McQuaid met by coincidence at a school gate. Theyre both mums.
Since then, American born Sarah has relocated from Ireland to the West Country to be near her musical soul mate Zoe. Sarah writes the evocative lyrics to Zoes compositions.Because both are well travelled, the net result is a mix of eastern flavours, English psychedelia, and canyon echoes with Mariachi influences.
By definition, this is a fascinating and beguiling melting pot of cool acoustic lead belters that will satisfy purists and casual listeners.For me this type of album is probably best enjoyed around a camp fire or quiet night with a bottle of red, or just generally chilling out.
The ambience is definitely retro 60s (hippy even) with simple instrumentation like ukulele , classical guitar, steel string guitar, percussion, accordion, trumpet, harmonium and flute spread throughout the collection, aided by Andy Jarvis and Tiffany Bryant.Zoe and Sarah have very different vocal styles, by curiously they blend together beautiful check opening song The Fool Of Spring, which has shades of the East fused with hippy folk, whereas the title track has traces of 70s Sandy Denny, referencing the sparseness of the American desert. Simple strums and heavenly harmonies make it a haunting vista.
Moving to the sub-continent, Kathakali Boy takes its inspiration from the classical dance drama tradition of Kerala in India. Something is missing here, and maybe the use of sitar would have given it a better indigenous reference point.On Aqui Me Pinte Yo, they pay tribute to Mexican artist Frida Kahlo (1907-1954) who was stricken with polio aged 6. The uplifting song tells the story of her miraculous recovery from an accident that should have killed her. The chorus, I am tired, but I am happy, gives hope to all accident victims. She began painting in her bed at her beloved Blue House.
There are many excellent songs here. If I had to choose a favourite, the stripped back The Lovers gets my vote, featuring some sublime duet harmonies and melodies, and even simpler At The Waterside comes a very close second.
Peckham born Zoe was once a pop babe who wore skin-tight mini skirts (well on Top Of The Pops she did). Remember her anthemic club anthem Sunshine On A Rainy Day from 1991 reaching number 5 in the UK charts?
Well, as a bonus track we get a mother earth / Eastern revamp, which blows the pants off the original!
The verdict Top album.
Weblinks:mamamusic.co.uk /myspace.com/mamamusicmyspace
Radio: Hear tracks soon on THE PLUG atwrexham.com
The full list of tracks included are :
1. The Fool Of Spring
2. Crow Coyote Buffalo
3. Kathakali Boy
4. Liquid Sunshine
5. Western
6. Aqui Me Pinte Yo (For Frida Kahlo)
7. Dancing Girl
8. The Lovers (For Pamela Colman Smith)
9. Pipe And Tabor
10. At The WatersideView the discussion thread.blog comments powered by Disqus= 0) {query += ‘url’ + i + ‘=’ + encodeURIComponent(links[i].href) + ‘&’;}}document.write(”);})();//]]]]>]]>
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.