Reviews roundup – Keith Emerson vs. Blue Rose Code vs. Forever Road
KEITH EMERSON
Emerson Plays Emerson
Emersongs
Don’t come here if you’re looking for fancy Emerson, Lake & Palmer type shenanigans. Because this reissue of his 2002 album sees the late Keith Emerson playing some tunes from his past on the piano. And nothing else.
Of course Rick Wakeman has done similar things in the past (and the future) so if you missed the Emerson release first time around and have enjoyed the Yes mans performances then this will make a very welcome addition to your not-prog prog collection.
If you need musician type facts then this sees some weel kent tunes from his days in the Nice and ELP performed solo on a Concert Grand Steinway with no flash and no knives. It highlights what a good piano player Emerson was and how good the music was when stripped clean and performed straight.
A couple of the numbers do have bass and drums and the version of ‘Honky Tonk Train Blues’ sees him performing with Oscar Peterson & Big Band. The whole thing ends with a 14 year old Emerson recorded at home on a reel to reel tape performing ‘I’ll See You In My Dreams’ A sad elegy for a talented and troubled man.
BLUE ROSE CODE
The Water Of Leith
Navigator Records
I’d never heard of him until I was listening to the splendid recent release from Fiona Kennedy. But there he was so I had a listen to “North Ten”.
I enjoyed that but then I am in an emotionally vulnerable place. Normally it would all be a bit too fey for me but as I can greet at the drop of a hat the now it framed my mood. So we’re off into the new release named after one of the shittiest places around. And I’m allowed to say that what with my deid Irish mammy having been born and bred in Leith alongside a dozen brothers and sisters and my 18 year residence in Easter Road.
And what we have is sort of modern folk with a few jazz inflections (mainly thanks to the performance of jazz saxophonist Konrad Wiszniewski) and a touch of country. That’ll do. It’s chock full of big names but they never overshadow his introspective tunes. I can even forgive the appearance of Ewan McGregor on an earlier release when songs as good as ‘Over The Fields’ ( a tribute to the late, great John Wetton), ‘On The Hill Remains A Heart’ and the showstopping ‘To The Shore’ are insinuating themselves into my life. The music, production and arrangements are all top drawer and you’ll be hard pushed to find a better album of its ilk this year. Granted, ‘The Water’ tips over into the unlistenable world of free jazz but even my cold, dark heart couldn’t fail to swell to the Julie Fowlis duet ‘Love Is….’.
If my blackened soul can be touched, yours can to.
FOREVER ROAD
Forever Road
independent
Yeah, I’m not sure what’s going on here. I’ve got a 12 track CD with a different cover from the 10 track digital album that’s for sale on Amazon. So, basically, I win cos you can’t get the CD from them with the two extra tracks. WINS!
Mind you it comes from the mythical continent of Australia, a non-existent world where the rules of polite don’t apply. It’s why my bastard cousin was sent there many decades ago under pain never to return. Served him right. Off to the penal colonies to run a ladies hair product company. For shame.
Back to Forever Road who, judging by the press picture, don’t put much store in hair products. Which gets them a point straight away. Another point for my favourite press sentence of the year so far – “the major must-see highlights at the Gympie Music Muster in 2014.” Right. Musically, Jake Gilroy (Lead Vocals & Guitar), Clem Gilroy (Bass), Brian ‘Doc’ Foulds (Drums) and Dan Veyro (Lead Guitar) are basically a hard edged country rock band. The sort of thing that will go down a treat wherever farmers meet to drink and fight. They err on the side of rock and there are a good few Tom Petty influences tucked away in the grooves.
But they do know how to write a good tune and ‘Bonfire’ and ‘Woo Hoo’ deffo count as good ones. For sure, things sag slightly towards the end but even on the lesser songs they have an energy and commitment that should see them alright.
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St Columba’s Hospice Tribute Fund for Linda Hamilton
http://linda.hamilton.muchloved.com/
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The Rocker - The Artist Formerly Known As Zeitgeist. TAFKAZ 
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