what Frank is listening to #42 – RALPH McTELL – Water of Dreams – (Larrikin) – 1982
This one's for Phil …I can see him in the front row with a lighter in the air.
This album however is is 13 years and 10 albums after prime time.
This is pretty much a schizophrenic album – its folk-ish with elements of singer-songwriter and folk pop though with contemporary instruments (bazooki, electric guitars, trumpets, synthesizers – the Prophet V and the CS 80 for people into that stuff) …
Sometimes the instruments are quite jarring in that they are not what you expect to hear in the context of the song. I'm not sure of the logic behind this, possibly (simply?) to make the music more contemporary? If that was the reason it was never going to work as McTell is best as a straight folkie. Lyrically he covers all the usual folk bases – story songs, ruminations, topical songs … and that is his strength. The best songs on this album are the topical ones, of which there aren't many, though there are quite a few (average) "love" songs.
Backing him on various tracks are Dave Pegg and Bruce Rowland (Fairport Convention), Richard Thompson, Albert Lee, Phil Collins (slumming it?), and prolific session musos Billy Livsey and Phil Palmer etc.
Best tracks:
- Pykey Boy – a nice Celtic styled ballad.
- I Want You – the only track not written by McTell – and he does a sweet, less obsessed version…. which misses the songs point but its still a good song.
- Geordie's on the Road – probably the best song on the LP that recalls his early 70s material. If only Billy Bragg could be this gentle, or insightful (ha – sorry Bragg fans) … but then again McTell can sing.
To keep or not to keep ? No, but I'll tape a song or two (or three) – any McTell collectors out there ?
(and to be totally anal – this is the Australian cover of the LP released on the Australian folk label Larrikin, the UK cover is different)
Sounds:
attached
Streets of London:
a cover:
Here's a piss take on poor McTell and the fact that he is so associated with "Streets of London" … I'm sure you musos out there know this feeling
(originally posted: 08/06/2009)
