This album could only have been made in England and could really be tracked to a certain part of North West England that sits between Manchester and Liverpool.
To place them into a pigeonhole (for those who need those things) thins is Punk/poetry in the spirit of John Cooper Clarke or Half Man Half Biscuit (not to mention John Otway & Wild Willie Barret) but it is also cut through with guitar riffs that definitely emerged from the North Mississippi hill country and some wicked harmonica (courtesy of Jimmy Regal & The Royals Joff Watkins).
The duo are Adam Brody on vocals and CJ Williams on guitars helped out by the aforementioned Joff Watkins and Jono Podmore who produced 10 tracks and adds Theremin.
Brody started out as a written and spoken word poet and eventually moved to London where he ended up manning the Stage door booth at a West End theatre. You can hear his origins throughout the album both in his poetry but also in the non-rhythmic sense to most of his words. There are times when Watkins has to work hard to fit his riffs and guitar lines to the tempo and jive of Brody’s words – that having been said, the occasional conflict actually lifts the music.
The poetry is worthwhile and Brody creates some amusing tales and links to the Manchester and Liverpool scenes and Watkins guitar playing is sparse and clean.
For me, the standout track is ‘Hopeless’ but all of the 12 tracks have something special about them and it is an album I found myself listening to time and again without feeling I had ever got to the bottom of all that is on display.
To place them into a pigeonhole (for those who need those things) thins is Punk/poetry in the spirit of John Cooper Clarke or Half Man Half Biscuit (not to mention John Otway & Wild Willie Barret) but it is also cut through with guitar riffs that definitely emerged from the North Mississippi hill country and some wicked harmonica (courtesy of Jimmy Regal & The Royals Joff Watkins).
The duo are Adam Brody on vocals and CJ Williams on guitars helped out by the aforementioned Joff Watkins and Jono Podmore who produced 10 tracks and adds Theremin.
Brody started out as a written and spoken word poet and eventually moved to London where he ended up manning the Stage door booth at a West End theatre. You can hear his origins throughout the album both in his poetry but also in the non-rhythmic sense to most of his words. There are times when Watkins has to work hard to fit his riffs and guitar lines to the tempo and jive of Brody’s words – that having been said, the occasional conflict actually lifts the music.
The poetry is worthwhile and Brody creates some amusing tales and links to the Manchester and Liverpool scenes and Watkins guitar playing is sparse and clean.
For me, the standout track is ‘Hopeless’ but all of the 12 tracks have something special about them and it is an album I found myself listening to time and again without feeling I had ever got to the bottom of all that is on display.
