Perhaps it's the gap between British and American English, or just the obtuseness of some of the annotation -- at least, where non-local reference points are concerned -- but this reviewer, having listened to this CD three times and read the notes more than once, still isn't quite sure what the "Water Rats" are, based on the information presented here, or what this benefit CD is a benefit for. But it is generally magnificent music, made by an astonishing array of players covering a gamut of styles from folk to skiffle to ...
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Perhaps it's the gap between British and American English, or just the obtuseness of some of the annotation -- at least, where non-local reference points are concerned -- but this reviewer, having listened to this CD three times and read the notes more than once, still isn't quite sure what the "Water Rats" are, based on the information presented here, or what this benefit CD is a benefit for. But it is generally magnificent music, made by an astonishing array of players covering a gamut of styles from folk to skiffle to '70s pop/rock and classical -- and even prog rock -- all hook-laden and memorable. Brian May's "Driven by You" opens the album in a distinctly '70s mode, showing his unique vocal/guitar mix in a mode not far from what Queen might've done, but track two is Bert Weedon's "The Jive," which could have charted anytime in 1956 or 1957, and might well have inspired a generation of guitar players to emulate Weedon's crisp, clean playing style. Mike Batt takes you into orchestrated prog rock with the stunning "Soldier's Song," and then suddenly you're hearing Chas McDevitt -- the skiffle legend himself -- in a modern recutting of "Freight Train." Big Jim Sullivan provides a piece of acoustic guitar ragtime ("Cascades"), while John Lodge offers up the pop/rock ballad "Rainbow," which, pretty as it is, is also a bit lugubrious in this setting; skiffle/rockabilly/theater star Joe Brown is more in keeping with the mood of the rest of the disc with "Sea of Heartbreak" and the brilliant instrumental "Ten Penny Piece," a dance piece worthy of Steeleye Span in their prime. The Cluskeys and Raymond Burley carry you into prog rock instrumental territory, and Rick Wakeman contributes a pair of numbers, "The Battle" and "The Visit." And organizer Gordon Giltrap closes the CD out with a pair of gorgeous numbers. ~ Bruce Eder, Rovi
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Add this copy of The Gathering to cart. $24.77, new condition, Sold by Revaluation Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Exeter, DEVON, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2004 by Voiceprint: VP282CD.
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