choice of muSiCiaris for the prOJect. With Paul Harrison in excellent form on piano. and guest Martin Kershaw adding his distinctive saxophone WOrk on five tracks. Brian Shiels (bass) and the Superb Alyn Cosker (drums) complete the instrumental line-up. and John Nicol adds a vocal contribution on the folky ‘Rivers Run'.
(Kenny Mathieson)
Reviews
INDIE
THE DELGADOS The Complete BBC Peel Sessions (Cheriiikal Undergr0undl O...
the delgados
ROOTS
KARINE POLWART Scribbled in Chalk
(Spit & Polish/Shoeshine) O...
The Delgados left an indelible mark on Scottish music and beyond. and this two- CD set of every Peel sessron they recorded is as good a way as any to celebrate the band's songwriting genius. and their sense of Wilful Independence. The 29 songs are arranged roughly chronologically. so the first disc covers much of their scratchy but forceful beginnings. while the second contains great versions of tracks from their finest records. The Great Eastern and Hate. plus stabs at everything from Robert Burns to The Dead Kennedys by way of ELO. A reminder of exactly why this often- underrated Scottish
Following on from her award winning 2005 Fault/i'nes. Stirlingshire born Polwart delivers up an album full of the kind of raw uncertainty one associates with the solo albums of Sandy Denny. Biblical inferences and the harm done to children are themes she repeatedly returns to (Polwart used to work as band Will be sorely i an anti-violence and missed. ‘ children's rights (Doug Johnstone) campaigner) yet these songs are neither cloying nor works of effusive advocacy. but full of dignity and inquiry. Highlights include the heartbreaking Auschwitz lullaby ‘Baleerie Baloo' and the sweet voiced. wide-eyed “Terminal Star'. This is seamless and accomplished work from a true master of her craft. (Paul Dale)
JAZZ
ROSS MILLIGAN Passing Places (Timecube Records) 0...
. ROCK Selkirk-based gLiitarist Ross Milligan makes a ngsBROKEN strong recording debut Gravity
as leader on this self- produced disc. The music is a showcase not only for his deft and inventive guitar work (his admiration for Pat Metheny is always evident). but also for his bright. often impressionistic compositions.
He is well served by his
(T ru Th0ughts) 0...
It may come as a bit of a surprise to see a rock album coming from Brighton's premier soul, jazz. funk and beats label. home of Alice Russell. Ouantic et al. However, consider that The Broken Keys is actually a new project
from label-mates Naturai Self, better known for his Brazilian beat workouts. and Nostalgia 7f. Widely respected fOr his voodoo ,ia/z, and it all makes sense. Rooted in the sounds of the late 60s and early 70s. With modern studio senSibilities augmenting the Vintage recording techniques. at its best Gray/ty simmers and sizzles over a bluesy fire. its rousing torch-songs recalling the Spirits of Morrison, Hendrix and Joplin. While the instrumentals belie an equally misty-eyed reverence for the cIaSSics. It's heavy. It's funky. It's got a lotta soul. It's another fine record from Tru Thoughts.
(Andrew Richardson)
POP
COLETTE MCKENDRICK Etheria
(Alicom) 000
Any mainstream contemporary female artist who seems to style herself after Kate Bush and manages to evade the fIaCCid balladry of your average Dido has to be worth a listen. and even more so if her Singing and songwriting skills are as beyond doubt as young Scot. Colette McKendrick. So the album's inSistence in Offering confessional. piano-led songwriting With the occasional burst of operatic rock guitar flourishes (think somewhere between Tori Amos and Evanescence. but nicer than both) does tire after a while. yet any girl who appears on the sleeve dressed in
t)O\'.’l€3' “at an.) go'se'. tong out a bit 0' falco'in. obvious. shows Just the ' g"t ai“cii"t of r“eritalness to be capable of furthe' imagii‘atiie leaps in future. (David PoI'Lth:
FOLK ROCK THE WENDY HOUSE Welcome (RmAIOOOO
Holding on tightly to that 'all for one' ethic that has served the Fence Collective so well, the Wendy House are a loose assocmtion of folksy Singers and songwriters from Glasgow and thereabouts. Individually. each of the members featured on this flavour- of-the—bunch compilation — Attic Lights. Finniston, ViVien Scotson, The Boy Lacks Patience. The State Broadcasters and Evan Crichton — are reassuringly open- hearted and. well. Scottish as songwriters. Not as overtly folk as Fence but possessed of the same euphoric 'missed the last bus in the rain but I don't care' vibe as Teenage Fanclub, for example. one or two of their number will hopefully fly the Wendy flag in Wider Circles in future.
(DaVid Pollock)
CRUSTY FOLK THE PENDULUMS
Moon Mountain (WWW.thependulumsco. ukl .0.
Argh. the maddening pixies! Opening With the trombone led maniacal ranting of ‘Brand New Song'. Scots Middle- Earthers the Pendulums'
A ‘ ? Masic Records
‘\‘{)\ Lt. 5 \ \j" i\ \3"\ l\llt\e. L\\f\ \A"HIC {T‘J-K7t'b \ ' \l' x\} " 5 \i"\l er‘i;"‘a"tea misc'f e‘ .f‘r‘ .‘u t \1.‘ B» ('0
r‘enati'i are .iack. Asral 0' .il 6:
the 'Lil‘ is
3 a Iittle thin. It's had to knock flie l"ti:§i<‘*¢ih«;hii‘~ t‘e'tairilv and it this kii‘d cf :f'uid to k is iihrior‘ant er‘ough to It‘s dui'itet to record it. there riiust be other aficioi‘ados out there. But by Christ it grates with those entrenched in a sta'ker. (‘oiiternitoram reality Away back to the hollows of your Mcor‘ i‘ifouri‘tt'lin ye otlien‘xorldh Penduliims. you're hexing me noggin.
(Mark Ediiiundsoni
ELECTRONICA ACHRID Achrid (Benbecula) O...
TALKING MAKES NO SENSE Surroundings Benit>eculai 000“
Edinburgh's electronica label Benbecula Records 2005 'Mineral SerieS' box set of 13 CDs was so successful that they deeded to do it again. This time. rather than the whole package. they've been scattering shards at irregular intervals. London based duo. Achrid were first Out the traps With their eponymously titled album of low-key electronic improv. Comprismg Michael Wright and Tadanae Fujimura. Achrid explore binary cut and paste Orthodoxies. cracking old codes before ripping them up and starting again in a wonkified array of partially submerged phutterings.
Despite such lateral strategies il‘t‘OTL‘OiatirIg what sour‘ds l=ke ping peng ball, bent out of S'lal‘e milk bottle and tvi‘ewiter percussion. there IOYTTJI'tS a 'Y‘lelodious heart at what sounds like kitchen— synch veterans This Heat letwrii for the digita' age.
Talking Makes No Sense is Dom Dixon of Benbecula's neor Shoega.‘ing combo Genaro. His Minerals Series l‘tflltflt‘llflOli. Surround/rigs is a woozy cascade of prettified pastoral drones and slov. burning guitarscapes, each shot through With an immaculater solitary sense of place. Aural i)sychi)geography is hardly a new idea. but Dixon's lollopingly easy strolls are full of sguint eyed surprises. On 'Subtract The Sky.‘ for instance, marrying a guitar pattern straight Out of kindergarten TV classic. Trumpton by way of The Penguin Cafe Orchestra. With what sounds like a cross between Tuvan throat Singing and a didgeridoo. shouldn't work. but is here a iiiellifluous delight. (Neil Cooper)
POP RODDY FRAME Western Skies (Redemption) O.
Staring out from the cover like one of Jack Vettriano's leering lads. there Will be some who conclude that Roddy Frame. his Aztec Camera days well behind him. is ploughing the same artless ground as the poster fodder guy. In the main, they'd be wrong. The chap who once swooned the NME set (the new Dylan' eIC) before woomg the TotP masses (‘the new Paddy McAloon' and such) is now producmg, ahem. mature. often Joyful,
22 Jun—6 Jul 2006 THE LIST 67