MAX
BACON - "From the Banks of the River Irwell"
Max
Bacon came to fame as the lead singer of GTR a short lived mid eighties
band that included two legendary progressive rock guitarists both called
Steve!
Richard Ormerod says in his sleeve notes that 'only in Jon Anderson
had I heard such a distinctive voice', Max does actually sound a but
like Anderson in places but is mostly suited to a hard rock/ AOR medium
as demonstrated on the powerful opener 'Someday' featuring Thin Lizzy
guitarist Scott Gorham. This is the first of five consecutive numbers
written by Buggles/ Yes man Geoff Downes. Unless my memory is playing
tricks on me (It probably is) 'Who Can Stop the Rain' sounds like the
Asia number of a similar name.
The Mike Oldfield number 'Earth Moving' is another interesting inclusion
with Oldfield himself playing guitar and keyboards.
Quite a few of the songs sound similar and somewhat formulaic , an unfortunate
by product of the pressure to produce 'radio friendly' music and one
is waiting for the bands to 'break out' - unfortunately this never quite
happens although there is some spirited guitar playing on the final
track (coincidentally called 'Break Out!)
(Blueprint) (BP353CD) (distributed by Voiceprint) 
(Phil
Jackson)
TERRY OLDFIELD
- "Angel"
'Angel'
has only two pieces that are both precious and timeless. Sustained synthesiser
ambiences are adorned by flutes, subtle bells and chimes and didgeridoo
to create a tranquil, at times monastic atmosphere that is classic 'New
Age' music. Originally released in 1990, congratulations to Voiceprint
for re-releasing 'Angel'. As it says on the sleeve, "There is now
way to describe what lies beyond the physical veil but this music from
the heart comes near."
(To Music TO 2002)
(Phil
Jackson)
THE BITTER
LITTLE CIDER APPLES - "Still"
Shiver
me timbers, me hearties- The Lucky Bishops are back. Well one of them
is- it's actually bassist Alan Strawbridge playing drums and keyboards
(Or is that a mistake on the sleeve?) The other Lucky Bishops must have
stowed away in the ship of the Good Ship Cider Apple- well not quite,
they were actually invited guests- for example guitarist Rick Murphy
plays trumpet on the penultimate track, 'Shamefaced'. Confused? You
should be!
Anyway what have we got here? Well, first of all it all sounds great.
Some splendid wah-wah guitar by Geoff Carbis is a taster of things to
come on an album that gets better and better as you go through. By the
time we reach the sixth track 'Reality', a jaunty song with some cheeky
bluesy guitar twanging the band is well and truly warmed up.
'Crocodile Head' is pure late 70s 'best of New Age', as good as anything
Nick Lowe or Elvis Costello wrote way back then (Brinsley Schwartz anyone?)
'Park the Car' has all the insolence of a storming Graham Parker and
the Rumour song. 'Wants and Needs' is very McCartneyish in the acoustic
guitar, vocal and chorus. (The closer is also very Beatlish with a wonderfully
constructed guitar break and a Martin like string arrangement by Simon
Swarbrick- now there's a familiar name!) There's more sizzling wah-wah
on 'Scented Garden' with its shuffling Bo Diddley beat and manic Hammond
work from guest Tom Hughes.
So only two reasons to walk the plank here and none of them to do with
the excellent music- the indecipherable handwritten lyrics (Come on
I was around in the 70s you know!) and the moustaches.
Intrigued? Then you'll just have to buy the CD!
Contact www.pinkhedgehog.com
(Pink Hedgehog Records)(SMILE 3)
(Phil
Jackson)
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