Ryan's Gig Guide - January 2019

was completely improvised, with no songs written in advance echoing the jazz and blues recordings that they admire. For Look Inside Your Heart, they tap in to a rich and varied musical palette, with opening track “Roosevelt Skyes” named as a tribute to the great piano bluesman, anAfrican pop party in the vein of The Four Brothers and The Bhundu Boys.Whilst “House By The Beach” is a love song intended for the young Elvis Pres- ley to cover in an alternate universe, with a fa- miliar 50’s call and response chorus. “Shelly” features guest vocals from Holly Holden from Holly Holden y Su Banda, which is a love song in the laid back style of early 70s Grateful Dead. “Dodge City Blues” uses the words from a beatnik prose poem from the mind of Sam James, as Tattersall explains; “the greatest singer-songwriter in NewYork City, a mysteriously neglected individual possessed of free flowing genius.” Further wearing their influences on their sleeves but giving them a very distinctiveWave Pictures spin, “Hazy Moon” sounds like Exile on Main Street era Rolling Stones with Tom Verlaine on Lead Vocals, whereas “Close Your Eyes Mike” recalls Highway 61 Revisited era Bob Dylan with Nigel Blackwell from Half Man Half Biscuit on lead vocals and “Tell Me That YouWeren’t Alone” sounds like Astral Weeks era Van Morrision as re-recorded by Jonathan Richman and The Modern Lovers. The beloved trio of Jonny Helm (drums), Dave Tattersall (guitar & vocals) and Franic Rozycki (bass), further demonstrate their tight bond, weaving effortless melodies with mind bending sonic and emotional force. Look Inside Your Heart is poignant, witty, wise and wonderful.  www.thewavepictures.com rgg Jan 2019 21 www.ryansgigguide.com