|
GOD POUNDS HIS NAILS
Track listing: Pretty Fine Day (3:48), Tread On (6:43), Silence And Rumor (4:21), Bitter (4:01), React Me (3:40), In Need Of Shaking (5:03), Greater Sea (3:46), Bye Bye Dreary Kitty (4:59), West Point (1:39),
While I Was Away (4:53), Now I'm A Stranger (4:55), Five Doors (5:36), Airs And Envy (3:52), Aspirations (9:30).
Always Almost is a one off project from Echolyn members Brett Kull (guitars, vocals), Ray Weston (bass, vocals) and Paul Ramsey (drums & percussion).
Like me, there may be other Echolyn fans out there who were put off by the previous album released by the trio under the name of 'Still'. Well I'm happy to report that 'God Pounds His Nails' is vastly superior and sounds very much like a full blown Echolyn album. The threesome are joined by Pat Strawser and Joe Stout on keyboards that add plenty of light and shade to the music.
The black and white cover with the original hand written lyrics gives it a homespun feel and, indeed, although this was recorded "at home", the sound quality and performances are excellent. On the
first few listens, the album sounds discordant and difficult to get into, but after a while the strong melodies soon start to seep into your mind. The musical styles are diverse including flavours of heavy
rock, jazz, blues, pop, folk and prog, so this is not your typical progressive album - but it's likely to find favour with fans of Genesis, Jethro Tull or Gentle Giant.
The opening piece 'Pretty Fine Day' begins quietly with acoustic guitar and plaintive vocal, and then develops into a memorable song with a brief but exquisite classical guitar interlude. Likewise the beautiful
ballads 'Silence and Rumor' and 'Airs and Envy' are almost Beatle-esque, whilst 'Bitter' has more of caustic lyrical edge but plenty of those classic Kull/Weston vocal harmonies.
'React Me', 'In Need Of Shaking' and 'Five Doors' are all on the heavier side, whilst the short instrumental 'West Point' finds Brett Kull dueting with himself on classical guitar and banjo.
'Now I'm A Stranger' has an almost country / blues feel but don't be put off', this is another strong and memorable song.
Finally the band play an extended cover of Gentle Giant's 'Aspirations'; Brett Kull's beautiful haunting voice is augmented by some lovely bass from Weston and tinkling Fender Rhodes piano from Pat Strawser -
fantastic.
The musicianship on this album is superb but with the emphasis more on songs than flashy playing; it's an album to treasure with beautiful tunes that will stay with you always. A must for fans of Echolyn and
for anyone who wants to widen their own musical horizons.
Steve 25/02/01
|
