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Elly Roberts reviews
Vanguard Records
- Released: June 2008
- Rating: 6/10
- Vote and comment on this album:
Kentucky duos full-length debut luvvvelleee!
Identical twins Chandra and Leigh Watson are well known on the Los Angeles folk-country-rockscene, now they get to shine on a bigger stage.
Fire Songs is typical of the new wave of Americana taking the world bymeans of a (quiet) storm. You might already know of them due to their involvementwith both Rilo Kiley and Jenny Lewis, so it comes as no surprise theyve had abash on their own, as duo of course.
At the heart of their beautiful music is a heavy emphasis on golden harmonies,which they exploit with magnificent execution. However, the lyrical contentsuggests a darker side. Take the opening How Am I To Be, by far the bestand most commercial track on offer written by Chandra, is a song of self-reconciliationand tolerance.
The swooning countrified Lady Love Me leans towards their new-folktendencies, whereas the brooding Fall, which isnt sung particularlywell, is more indie-folk-rock. Back on more familiar sweet Americana territory,they masterfully re-invent The Cures Just Like Heaven, a minor hit forRobert Smiths band way back in 1987, making it all their own.
Map To Where You Are.This is a tale, about a lovers doubt and suspicion, cleverly worked into amish-mash musical style. After the weakest songs Dig A Little Deeperand Sky Open, they return to form on the jangly guitar worked Bar Woman Blues,by Leigh, who claims that her regular haunt, as depressing a place it mightbe, is an a easy place to be.
With Old Ways once again delving into their country ballad roots, it showcasestheir mastery of close harmony aided by some delicate pedal steel swoops.
Again, Waves, finds the pair in reflective mode, with a simple formatthat suits the mood.
File under: Very good start.
Weblink:thewatsontwins.com
The full list of tracks included are :
1. How Am I To Be
2. Lady Love Me
3. Fall
4. Just Like Heaven
5. Map To Where You Are
6. Dig A Little Deeper
7. Sky Open Up
8. Bar Woman Blues
9. Only You
10. Old Ways
11. Waves
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.