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Reviews Music Reviews Bellowhead (Burlesque)
Reviews Music Reviews Bellowhead (Burlesque)
Bellowhead (Burlesque)
Author admin
Tue 27 Sep 11
N/A
Bellowhead: Burlesque
« on: August 22, 2011, 12:37:48 AM »
First formed in 2004, contemporary folk band Bellowhead has established itself as one of the best live acts available today, breathing life into long discarded traditional songs and tunes. With a combination of four bowed, four brass, melodeon, rhythm string, and an improvised percussion kit (my favorite is the metal utensils in a jar), you would expect the band to be either completely boring or way out there from an an arrangement standpoint, but neither is the case - the instruments all mesh surprisingly well.
Released in 2008, Burlesque is the first full length release by Bellowhead, following on the tails of the release of a 5-track EP "E.P.Onymous" and a successful tour.
The Tracklist
1) Rigs of the Time
2) Jordan
3) Across the Line
4) London Town
5) Sloe Gin
6) Courting Too Slow
7) Flash Company
8) Hopkinson's Favourite
9) One May Morning Early
10) The Outlandish Knight
11) Frog's Legs & Dragon's Teeth
12) Fire Marengo
13) Death and the Lady
The Good
When any live band records a studio album, you inevitably will be eventually comparing the album to the band's live act. In this case, the fire and intensity is definitely there in this album. To be fair, you obviously don't get to see all the antics the band does on the album version, but if you think they're worth seeing just because they goof off on stage, you need to reassess your priorities.
Bellowhead-Sloe Gin Set@Buxton Opera House 2008
Also deserving of praise on this album (which you wouldn't get at the live gigs) is the group vocals. On some of the tracks, six of the eleven band members will contribute their voices to some nice tight harmonies. While they still will all sing at the live gigs, it's impossible to get the perfectly balanced harmonies in real time that you get after mixing a studio recording. Of special note are the tracks "Across the Line," "Courting Too Slow," and "One May Morning Early."
Bellowhead - Across the line
The Bad
After wracking my brain for a while to come up with something bad about this album, I realized that, while a number of the members have good singing voices, Jon Boden is the only person who sings the lead. While I don't have a problem with Boden's voice per se, Cello/Violin player Rachael McShane has one of the most beautiful singing voices I've heard. And yet she never sings the lead, though she does double Boden with countermelodies on a couple occasions.
Bellowhead - Jordan
It would also be nice to hear a little more solo work (instrumental, not vocal) - it's rare that one specific instrument takes the lead, and considering that this band is chock full of talent, it would be nice to hear each member showcase their talent more.
The Score
Burlesque gets from me a whopping
9/10
[/score]
