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Elly Roberts reviews
Parlophone (EMI)
- Cat.no: 3351422
- Released: March 2006
- Rating: 2/10
Not content with his fame as a radio presenter, Zane Lowealso believes hecan cut it as a pop star – this might be a step too far.
It’s been some timesince a radio DJ went into a recording studio, usually to make a noveltysingle. BBC Radio 1’s Alexander Zane Reid Lowe, just Zane Lowe to you andme, normally hosts a specialist music show, weekdays between 7 & 9pm – buthe’s avoided the temptation to follow suit. Before venturing into thebroadcasting lark, he was a member of hip-hop outfit Urban Disturbance. Who?Urban Disturbance. Anyway, let’s say they weren’t exactly household names.His current project is a re-visit to Breaks Co-op who released Roofers inhis native New Zealand nine years ago.
His second effort with fellow-countryman Hamish Clark and newcomer AndyLovegrove – the principal singer – sees them tackle trip-hop/folk, anddreamy (or should it be dreary) soundscapes, with little to keep youinterested, or even awake at that. The Music Inside this CD is mostlystuck in snooze control.
Limping in with a flat title track, the mood islifted a tad with an equally plodding Wonder. Andy Lovegrove’s vocals arequite stunning on The Otherside, though the limpness drags it down again.
A tedious Last Night smacks of album filler, and by now I’ve virtuallyswitched off.
Surprisingly, there’s some nice melody on Duet, but its poor constructionseverely lets it down: it’s a case of more aimless rambling.
A few original songs have been adapted here and there, or elements included- see if you can spot them.
Best of an average bunch, the chill-out LMA, with Settle Down being the onlyprospect for a single.
A very forgettable album. Oh, and by the way – don’t give up the day jobZane.
Weblink:Breaks Co-op.com
The full list of tracks included are :
1. The Sound Inside
2. Wonder
3. The Otherside
4. Settle Down
5. Last Night
6. A Place For You
7. Duet
8. Question Of Freedom
9. Ima
10. Beats Interlude
11. Too Easily
12. Lay Me Down
13. Twilight
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.