Southerner - TRENT DABBS

 

 

I have to 'fess up and say that I had never heard of Trent Dabbs, let alone any of his music, before this album fell on my lap. I am exceedingly pleased that it did. Based in Nashville, he's been making albums since 2004 and this, released in 2011, is his sixth album (there has been a seventh since). 

 

 

Again I'll be honest and say that, having listened to his earlier stuff since hearing this, I wasn't in any great rush to purchase anything. This album, however, is a different kettle of fish to his previous albums and was easily one of the best albums of 2011

 

 

It’s beautifully mixed, laced with ghostly backing vocals, piano flourishes, and Trent’s easy, emotive voice is never lost in the shuffle or the heavy drum sound. I do have his latest album, and its growing on me, but this is a stone classic

 

 

Neil Young

 

 

 

 

Follow Suit

 

 

 

 

Don't Blame Love

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Liberty Of Norton Folgate - MADNESS

 

In 2009, Madness had not released a new studio album since 1999. If I was being cruel, (and I will be) they had not released a decent studio album since "The Rise And Fall" in 1982 (and they were going off the boil even then!).

 

 

So, when I saw that this album was being released, I had no high hopes ... in fact, I had no hope at all.

 

 

But me of little faith ... not only was this a decent album, but after a couple of listens I realised this was the best album they had ever made. And I was not the only person who thought that ... no weighter organ than the Financial Times gave the album 5 stars and said "[at] a stage of life when they might be endlessly revisiting "Our House" and "Baggy Trousers" on the 1980s nostalgia circuit, the much-loved ska-pop band, 30 years after their debut, have ripped up the form book and delivered a knockout album."

 

 

I have to totally agree ...

 

 

Incidentally, Norton Folgate was a peculiar part of London's East End where the Crown had waived its rights and the area was governed by St Paul's Cathedral. It remained so until about 1900 and now straddles the actual City of london and Tower Hamlets

 

 

You can get the album here

 

 

We Are London

 

 

 

Sugar And Spice

 

 

 

and the mini-opera that is ...

 

The Liberty of Norton Folgate