Evans McRae - Only Skin
Skin effect
The beginning is calm, very calm. Too calm. Let’s recall McRae is a multiple recidivist in the field. You’ll have to wait for the 3rd track (very good "Careful") to make sure you won’t have an entirely wet album like its predecessor Ah, the World! Oh, the World!
As for Lowri Evans, I’m discovering her thanks to this duo. This folk-woman who sings pretty well seems to have won her spurs already (6 studio albums to her name – versus 8 for Tom).
Once I swallowed the whole, with rather a good impression, I feel like seeing the start again, through headphones. Then finding an interest, a hook, in the 2 first tracks: a little voice slip la Dolores O'Riordan ("Say What You Mean"); the small 7th note at guitar which comes after the words "Only Skin", conferring on the song some blues aspect, even almost Mediterranean during the verses.
I notice 3 pieces which move a bit. That makes 3 more that Rover’s new record.
Getting down to it for real.
So the Englishman and the Welshwoman co-sign an entire duo album. Winning bet! Lowri seems a bit more present vocally, as Tom’s often entering at 2nd verse only, or as a lower pitched counterpoint ("Merry Christmas my Darling (Drink up)") or even not at all ("Eddie"). I guess he is a bit more instrument-oriented: he is directing the strings for instance. For you are far from the minimalism announced by the first bars: not less than 10 musicians come in addition to the duo, both being naturally more partial to their acoustic guitars. Or acoustically more partial to their natural guitars – you choose.
"Stays the Same" looks like the best folk songs of Sophie Zelmani. Do you need me to draw you a picture? I join immediately.
You’ll be in no way surprised by the beautiful melody of "High & Lonesome", typical McRae, neither by a "Merry Christmas my Darling (Drink up)" which takes up the traditional British vein of party and pub again (or the idea I have of it), which he already explored several times.
I zap "Love's a Loaded Gun". Too symphonic, too overblown for me. Maybe it would fit for the closing titles of some James Bond? Or some romantic and crime series with a calm, very calm beginning.
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No song gets under 3 minutes. That’s something. None gets above 4 minutes and half either. Except "Only Skin", the slow, very slow blues, yet pleasant till the end of its 5:02. It’s skin that holds us, that keeps together all the parts of what we are, body and soul. “From the Grand Canyon to Yemen, skin is the same”, as No One is Innocent sings.
A 44-minute skin of good music, tattooed over a CD referenced "EMCD001" – for Evans McRae CD #1. Let’s wish there will be many others. Long life independent labels! -
Careful
Stays the Same
Only Skin -
Love's a Loaded Gun
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The sentence
“Let the fool give orders to the wise” ("Just Falls Apart")
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them
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...And now, listen!
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Created03 July 2021
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