Reviews roundup – Jo Harman vs. Tess Of The Circle vs. Tracer

Reviews roundup – Jo Harman vs. Tess Of The Circle vs. Tracer

JO HARMAN
Dirt On My Tongue
self released

So is this the Next Big Thing in British blues, or is she just a very naughty girl?  Of course, the question presupposes that there was a last Big Thing in British blues, something that is open to debate.  But if we really mean, is Ms Harman likely to make some waves on the British and European blues circuit, then the answer is most definitely yes.

She’s been plugging away at it, and off the back of a live album – “Live At The Hideaway” and the “Worthy Of Love” EP, this debut album is certainly a step in the right direction.  Of course, I’m using ‘blues’ in a fairly loose sense, as most of her songs are acoustic based, and see her touching on folk, country and even gospel, but we’ll take what we can get.

So, a lot of ballads, and I mean A LOT of ballads, but ballads worth listening to, especially when she whaps her emotions on her sleeves and gi’es it laldy on songs like ‘What You Did For Me’ and ‘(This Is My) Amnesty’.  The record sounds great, and there are some lovely harmony vocals on offer.  Definitely worth a listen.

You can download at Amazon or go to her website at http://joharman.com/music for yer actual CD.

Download at Amazon

TESS OF THE CIRCLE
Thorns
Vintage Voice

This is quite an interesting one.  A band focussing on the songs of songwriter Tess Jones, who has got together a top quality selection of musicians to flesh out his music.

It’s a wee bit indie, a wee bit seventies singer / songwritery and a wee bit soft rock.  And it’s all rather nice.

The people involved have worked with the likes of Paul Weller, Ocean Colour Scene, Stevie Nicks, James Morrison, Joan Armatrading, Amy Winehouse, Tindersticks and Beth Orton, so these songs are right up their collective street.

But it’s the songs that stand out, as a good arrangement of a shit song is just polishing a turd, and you’ll look in vain for any turds here.  Sit back, relax and enjoy up tempo finger clickers like ‘Better Days’ and the more introspective weepies such as ‘Eyes Of A Clown’.  Either way, a surprise treat.

Buy at Amazon

TRACER
El Pistolero
Mascot

Album number three from the Oztralian rockers, and with a Kevin Shirley production under their belts, they’ve never sounded bigger.

Of course, they still sound a bit like a dumbed down Alice In Chains, but if you’re going to look to shitty grunge bands for influences, then at least look at the least shitty ones.  Of course, they had a lot of early praise and Best New Band awards thrown at them, so this when they should be raising their game, but production values aside, I don’t think they’ve made it.

For sure, they’ve tried to broaden things with the title track evolvong as a a four part suite, but it’s an idea pushed too far.

It’s a couple of tracks too long, but when they get it right, as they do on ‘Santa Cecilia’ and ‘Wolf In Cheap Clothes’, you can see that there is a really good band in there.  But then there have been plenty of bands out there with a few good tunes in them. Young Heart Attack, anyone?  If they can break through that barrier, they might to get the place that some say they’re at already.  Nearly, but not quite.

Buy at Amazon