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Elly Roberts reviews
One Little Indian Records
- Released: April 2008
- Rating: 10/10+
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Brother and sisters, raise your glasses to Britains coolest band.
Its time to take 18 steps to luvin Alabama 3.
This outfit take their songwriting craft very seriously. You somehow begin tothink that theyre also poking fun at the world through their never ending eclecticrepertoire.
I confess to only discovering them last year (2007) via their outstandingalbum MOR, (Middle Of The Road). As we all know, Alabama 3 dont do MOR its just a bit more fun.
They have the same kind of fun that Dr. Hook had in the early 70s before they became amainstream act.
Now lets get the facts straight. Alabama 3 have never had a chart hit. Theironly commercial exposure is Woke Up This Morning used as the themeto hit TV show The Sopranos. This retrospective (with two new songs *) ispossibly long overdue as theyve been together for 19 years, with this collectionplundering their six studio albums. Their reputation actually lies elsewhere the stage.
Dubbed the best live band in Britain, band member Reverend D. Wayne Love(hes not a reverend as you might have gathered) describes their music assweet, pretty, country acid-house music. Hes havin a laugh. Thatdescription, as tongue-in-cheek as it is, doesnt do justice to their fantastic workwhich takes in acid house beats, folk, gospel, blues and country and western makingthis collection a real hybrid of styles.
The dance groove is there from the off, on Hypo Full Of Love, full ofswampy loveliness, followed by Fun Lovin Criminals-like urban funkiness ofWoke Up This Morning.
Replicating Johnny Cashs country beat, we get twanging guitar and a wildshuffle for Hello Im Johnny Cash were they drop in as many song titlesas possible. One of the albums highlights is the sparkling and dance heavy MansionOn The Hill as the beats go into overdrive a la Prodigy. Their country leaningssurface on mickey-take ballad (with some Bluegrass throw in for fun) on U Dont Danse To Tekno Anymore, which is the kind of track Shel Silversteenprovided for Dr.Hook.
Theyre not shy of getting political either, taking a swipe at racism and the BNPusing Woody Guthries stylings to push the message. Possibly their funkiest grooveis Monday Dont Mean Anything giving a nod to the Happy Mondays Madchestertrippy beat. Taken from MOR, Amos Lee is classic southern swampy rhythm andblues punctuated by some of the dirtiest guitar licks this side of the pond,then further in they unload a Ska steady beat on the Orbital Mix of Skad For Lifethat shows they remain fearless in the eclecticism.
File under: Uber cool.
Weblink:alabama3.co.uk
The full list of tracks included are :
1. Hypo Full Of Love (The 12 Step Plan)
2. Woke Up This Morning (Sopranos Mix)
3. Hello..Im Johnny Cash
4. Mao Tse Tung Said
5. Mansion On The Hill (Arthur Baker remix) *
6. U Dont Danse To Tekno Anymore
7. How Can I Protect You feat.Aslan (Dope Mix)
8. Woody Guthrie
9. Aint Goin To Goa
10. Monday Dont Mean Anything
11. Sad Eyed Lady Of The Low Life
12. Amos Moses
13. Too Sick To Pray
14. Up Above My Head
15. R.E.H.A.B.
16. Speed Of The Sound Of Loneliness
17. Skad For Life (Orbital Mix) *
18. Peace In The Valley
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.