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Elly Roberts reviews
Fat Fox
- Released: July 2006
- Rating: 10/10
Think Mark Knopflers voice. Add bucket loads of Americana. Result? Hey Negrita..
It astounds me how we (Brits) can sometimes outdo the Yanks at their own game.Thats what going on here. This brilliant neuvo-country band certainly knowshow to throw it back in their faces, and with style.
The music ranges from Pogues like romps such as Nine To Five (featuringsome nifty harmonica work) to a spellbinding waltzy-tradfolk Lust And Bonesa la Fairport Convention, even. Each song has melody at its heart.
First single, Cant Walk Away, a highly hummable country ditty (withsubtle pedal steel hanging in the background) is a perfect opening track thatsets the tone for the rest of this very impressive album. Twanging guitar anddeep voiced singing by Felix on All About Me send you up-country beforethe Penny Drops, a shimmying dusty acoustic ballad.
Abandon Ship, next single out July 3, has a rousing trad feel, almostin the Levellers mode, as is an equally impressive The Message.
Foot-tapping Coming Down (shades of The Mavericks?) is sure to be aparty favourite, if its ever released as a single. Good Times istext-book Dire Straits meets The Mavericks, though more countrified. Thestunning Charlene chronicles a lost friend, as it builds and builds toa magnificent heart-wrenching chorus, supplemented by delicate pedal steelagain.
Not to be missed at any cost!
Weblink:Hey Negrita.com /Fat Fox.com
The full list of tracks included are :
1. Cant Walk Away
2. All About Me
3. Penny Drops
4. Abandon Ship
5. Coming Down
6. Good Times
7. Charlene
8. The Message
9. Hold Tight
10. Nine To Five
11. Lust And Bones
12. Sunlight Hits Your Eyes
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.