Hot Club of Cowtown - Rendezvous in Rhythm

Rating: 4/5

Review:
Good, not great

I like this disc - it's an enjoyable reworking of jazz standards in the style of Reinhardt and Grapelli with a slight country tang. It is good but I can't quite share the unbridled enthusiasm of some other reviewers.

The three musicians play very well and almost capture that wonderful Quintette du Hot Club de France sound and flavour - almost but not quite. Somehow the real soul and magnificent, can't-sit-still swing isn't quite there, and although there's plenty to like in the playing I couldn't quite love it. I also found the vocals rather flat (emotionally, not musically) throughout which didn't help.

It is harsh to compare anyone to Reinhardt and Grapelli who were both genuine geniuses and I don't mean to be too critical, but if you're playing in this style the comparison is inevitable. It's a likeable CD, but to be honest its main effect for me was to make me go and get my Reinhardt and Grapelli recordings out and listen to them again. Plainly others have loved this and I wouldn't want to put anyone off. This is a good disc by three fine musicians - it just didn't quite do it for me.

Jack Day - The First Ten

Rating: 4/5

Review:
A good debut

I like this album, although for me this is an album which shows great promise rather than a great album in itself.

Jack Day is a good performer. There is some very nice guitar work here and his voice has an alluring roughness and world-weariness which he uses well. I am less keen on the piano playing which is pretty ordinary and which to my ears doesn't work so well with this material, but it does provide some welcome variety of tone.

It is the slight sameness of tone in the sound and the material which gives me my reservations about this album. I like the feel of it - it reminds me in places of early Michael Chapman (which is high praise) and of Donovan in others - and there are some enjoyable and rather haunting songs here, but this feels to me very much like a debut album and I think Jack Day needs to bring a little more variety and depth to his songwriting if he is to develop into more than a good folk-circuit performer. I suspect he may well do this, and he's one to watch, I think.

This isn't a great album but it's well worth checking out if you like guitarist-singer-songwriters with a sort of late-60s feel and but some slightly more modern sounding production. I'm glad I have heard this album and I'll certainly be keeping an eye out for Jack Day's work in future.

Tony Joe White - Rain Crow

Rating: 5/5

Review:
A terrific album

This is another terrific album from Tony Joe White.  I loved Hoodoo, and this carries on in exactly the same vein – indeed the opener, Hoochie Woman, bears more than a passing musical resemblance to The Gift – which is absolutely fine by me.  It's what Tony Joe does, and no-one does it like him.

It's probably not worth going on at length because if you know TJW, you'll know what you're getting here.  Swamp blues at its best, with a slightly laid-back sound but a rock-solid beat, insistent bass, mixed-back guitar on lower stings and great vocals which sound as if Tony Joe has just got out of bed the day after a long, long evening of moonshine and music.  I find it irresistible, particularly because his lyrics remain excellent.  He tells a fine story and can create a vivid, almost mystical atmosphere in a few words – like in the opening lines of the title track:

"Was wondrin' 'bout the shadow that keeps crossin' your path;

Don't look nothin' like you, but I'm afraid to ask…"

Brilliant.

Fine music, great performances and excellent production – what more could you want?  If you like this genre, don't hesitate.  This is a bit of class.

John Fullbright - Songs

Rating: 3/5

Review: 
OK but nothing special

I tried this album because I like Amy Speace's work very much and she and John Fullbright have collaborated quite a lot.  Sadly, though, I'm not very impressed with this solo album from Fullbright.

John Fullbright has a nice, slightly mournful voice and he can sing well.  He plays a decent guitar and piano, and the overall sound is quite pleasing.  However, I find his material pretty ordinary, to say the least.  The songs are perfectly OK...but nothing more.  It all sounds pretty generic to me, with nothing that really stands out either musically or lyrically, and I'm afraid I got rather bored after half a dozen songs when I first listened to the album.  Repeated listenings haven't really improved matters, I'm afraid, and I don't think I'll be going back to this much.

I'm sorry to be critical, but there is an awful lot of alt country/Americana around at the moment and for me this just fades into the background.  Recent albums from Eliza Gylkison , Kris Delmhorst and Mary Gauthier for example, show what really good songwriting in this genre is all about, and this album, although perfectly pleasant and acceptable, really isn't in anything like their league.

(I would also highly recommend Amy Speace's album How To Sleep In A Stormy Boat, which features John Fullbright on one track. )

Jake Bugg - Shangri La

Rating: 5/5

Review:
A very good follow-up

There was some criticism of this album as unoriginal and not as good as Jake Bugg's debut album. I have to say that I don't agree.  After listening to it a lot I think it is that rare thing: a follow-up album which is as good (or at least nearly as good) as its deservedly phenomenally successful predecessor. It doesn't have that devil-may-care freshness of the first album - but then it wouldn't because that only happens once. The production is a bit fuller and more sophisticated now, and he's widening his style a little but it's still music of real quality.

Jake Bugg's great strength is in singable songs with worthwhile lyrics, which he performs with skill and real feeling, and he does just that on this album. His fine, distinctive voice is still on great form and driving beats are still often in evidence, although there's a good variety here. There's also a variety of production styles which make the opening track, There's A Beast And We All Feed It sound like early Bob Dylan, Me And You could be from a Donovan Album from about 1968, the guitar in Messed Up Kids has strong echoes of Big Country, the instrumental work on Kitchen Table could be from John Martyn or Pentangle (and the vocal reminds me a little of Jason Isbell in places)... and so on. Personally I love all this. It's very well done and nothing sounds like a poor imitation of an original.

I genuinely think this is a very good album which shows that Jake Bugg isn't just a flash in the pan, and will cement his place in the top rank of young British musicians. Warmly recommended.

Ultimate Rock'n'Roll Love Songs

Rating: 5/5

Review:
A brilliant compilation

It's hardly worth me writing a review of this brilliant compilation.  Just take a look at the track list below – it speaks for itself.  From incredibly famous classics by people like The Everlys, Elvis, Connie Francis, Paul Anka and so on to less well-known but still brilliant gems, it's a joy from start to finish. 

The transfers have been well done and the sound is faithful to the originals.  It's a treasure trove of wonderful stuff at a ridiculously low price.  Very warmly recommended.

Disc: 1

  1. Teenager In Love - Dion & The Belmonts - Dion and The Belmonts

  2. Wake Up Little Susie - The Everly Brothers - The Everly Brothers

  3. (Marie's The Name) His Latest Flame - Elvis Presley - Elvis Presley

  4. Ginny Come Lately - Brian Hyland - Brian Hyland

  5. Sheila - Tommy Roe - Tommy Roe

  6. Dream Lover - Bobby Darin - Bobby Darin

  7. Peggy Sue - Buddy Holly - Buddy Holly

  8. Pretty Little Angel Eyes - Curtis Lee - Curtis Lee

  9. Since I Don't Have You - The Skyliners - The Skyliners

  10. Three Steps To Heaven - Eddie Cochran - Eddie Cochran

  11. Hello Mary Lou - Ricky Nelson - Ricky Nelson

  12. It's Only Make Believe - Conway Twitty - Conway Twitty

  13. Stay - Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs - Maurice Williams and The Zodiacs

  14. Poetry In Motion - Johnny Tillotson - Johnny Tillotson

  15. Little Town Flirt - Del Shannon - Del Shannon

  16. My Girl Josephine - Fats Domino - Fats Domino

  17. Need Your Love So Bad - Little Willie John - Little Willie John

  18. Livin' Lovin' Doll - Cliff Richard - Cliff Richard

  19. Diana - Paul Anka - Paul Anka

  20. Dreamin' - Johnny Burnette & The Rock 'N' Roll Trio - Johnny Burnette and The Rock 'n' Roll Trio

  21. Colette - Billy Fury - Billy Fury

  22. Gonna Git That Man - Connie Francis - Connie Francis

  23. What Do You Want? - Adam Faith - Adam Faith

  24. Breaking Up Is Hard To Do - Neil Sedaka - Neil Sedaka

  25. Only The Lonely - Roy Orbison - Roy Orbison

Disc: 2

  1. My Special Angel - Bobby Helms - Bobby Helms

  2. Donna - Ritchie Valens - Ritchie Valens

  3. The Girl Of My Best Friend - Elvis Presley - Elvis Presley

  4. Lana - Roy Orbison - Roy Orbison

  5. The Wonder Of You - Ray Peterson - Ray Peterson

  6. Little Darlin' - The Diamonds - The Diamonds

  7. ('Til) I Kissed You - The Everly Brothers - The Everly Brothers

  8. Stupid Cupid - Connie Francis - Connie Francis

  9. Lonely Teenager - Dion - Dion

  10. Sweetie Pie - Eddie Cochran - Eddie Cochran

  11. (Girls Girls Girls) Made To Love - Eddie Hodges - Eddie Hodges

  12. Why Do Fools Fall In Love? - Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers - Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers

  13. Love Potion No. 9 - The Clovers - The Clovers

  14. I'm In Love Again - Fats Domino - Fats Domino

  15. Poor Little Fool - Ricky Nelson - Ricky Nelson

  16. Stairway To Heaven - Neil Sedaka - Neil Sedaka

  17. Princess Princess - Johnny Tillotson - Johnny Tillotson

  18. Fever - Little Willie John - Little Willie John

  19. Goin' Steady - Tommy Sands - Tommy Sands

  20. Little Bitty Pretty One - Thurston Harris & The Sharps - Thurston Harris and The Sharps

  21. Along Came Linda - Tommy Boyce - Tommy Boyce

  22. (Now And Then There's) A Fool Such As I - Elvis Presley - Elvis Presley

  23. It's All In The Game - Tommy Edwards - Tommy Edwards

  24. Wondrous Place - Billy Fury - Billy Fury

  25. Tell Laura I Love Her - Ricky Valance - Ricky Valance

Disc: 3

  1. Oh Carol - Neil Sedaka - Neil Sedaka

  2. Lipstick On Your Collar - Connie Francis - Connie Francis

  3. Everyday - Buddy Holly - Buddy Holly

  4. Runaround Sue - Dion - Dion

  5. It Keeps Rainin' - Fats Domino - Fats Domino

  6. Sealed With A Kiss - Brian Hyland - Brian Hyland

  7. Corinna, Corinna - Ray Peterson - Ray Peterson

  8. Suspicion - Elvis Presley - Elvis Presley

  9. Dreamin' About You - Annette Funicello - Annette Funicello

  10. Cradle Of Love - Johnny Preston - Johnny Preston

  11. Just A Little Bit Sweeter - Jerry Meaders - Jerry Meaders

  12. My True Love - Jack Scott - Jack Scott

  13. C'mon Baby - Buddy Knox - Buddy Knox

  14. Well I'm Your Man - Johnny Tillotson - Johnny Tillotson

  15. Blue Angel - Roy Orbison - Roy Orbison

  16. Mister Lonely - The Videls - The Videls

  17. Susie Darlin' - Tommy Roe - Tommy Roe

  18. Please Mr. Postman - The Marvelettes - The Marvelettes

  19. Love Is Strange - Mickey & Sylvia - Mickey and Sylvia

  20. Maybe Tomorrow - Billy Fury - Billy Fury

  21. Sea Of Love - Phil Phillips & The Twilights - Phil Phillips and the Twilights

  22. Under The Moon Of Love - Curtis Lee - Curtis Lee

  23. More Than I Can Say - Bobby Vee - Bobby Vee

  24. It's Late - Ricky Nelson - Ricky Nelson

  25. Bye Bye Love - The Everly Brothers - The Everly Brothers

Eric Clapton - I Still Do

Rating: 4/5

Review:
A good album from Eric

My first response to this album was relief.  After the frankly dismal Old Sock, this is Eric back to somewhere near his best in places and although I don't think it's a classic, it's a very decent album.

The material here is a mixture of blues, JJ Cale covers, one or two other standards and a couple of pretty good new songs from Eric.  It all (well, almost all) has a directness and solid musical honesty which is very welcome after Old Sock's slick indulgence and insincere gloss, and Eric seems to me to be back in his natural territory with tracks like the opener Alabama Woman Blues and JJ Cale's Can't Let You Do It, with a sort of semi-acoustic, slightly laid back but robust feel pretty well throughout.  Frankly, I could have done without Little Man, You've Had A Busy Day, but the odd track I don't like on an album is forgivable and most of it is fine, tight and well performed stuff with enough variety to make it a good listen.

OK, this isn't ground-breaking.  There isn't a wealth of new material from Eric and it's largely the man and his (excellent) band doing what he does well in a fairly familiar way with restrained, classy production from the legendary Glyn Johns.  For me, there's nothing wrong with that.  Nothing at all.  And as a Clapton devotee of almost half a century's standing I'm pleased to find he can still make a worthwhile album.  This is more than worthwhile, I think; I like it a lot and I can recommend it.