John Parkes - Faithlessnessless
by Mark Rowland
published: 23 / 12 / 2005
Label:
Aaz Records
Format: CD
intro
Quirkily humorous acoustic lo-fi rock from Leeds-based singer-songwriter and one time Peel favourite John Parkes
Indie veteran John Parkes has never really made it past the John Peel show with his previous bands. ‘Faithlessnessless’, his new solo album, is certainly a quirky one. All the songs are very stripped back; just Parkes with an acoustic guitar and occasionally a harmonica, but the songs are all pretty strong, with some very odd, funny and brilliant lyrics. One of the best is ‘To Go Round’, which features the line “There aren’t enough out of control 12 year olds committing one youth crime waves terrorising pensioners on a council estate in the North East of England to go round”, which I think you’ll agree is a killer. Over the course of ‘Faithlessnessless’, Parkes covers such subjects as politics today, not being famous and being a goldfish. Musically, ‘Faithlessnessless’ is very much like Billy Bragg and Loudon Wainwright III, albeit Northern and with a few more sad laments to lost loves. Those moments are reminiscent of Parkes’ old mate David Gedge of the Wedding Present, though probably because both were brought up in similar backgrounds. In general though, Parkes is at his best when speaking his mind about elements of modern society, be it politics in the appropriately titled ‘Politics’, media paranoia in ‘To Go Round’ or the cult of celebrity in ‘You’ve Never Heard of Me’ ‘Faithlessnesless’ is a very witty, intriguing peak into the mind of a British male of a certain age.
Track Listing:-
1 Goodbye Ms Jones2 Cigarette
3 This Tonight
4 To Go Round
5 Hippy Father
6 80 Years Old
7 Goldfish
8 Move On
9 Politics
10 The Gail Porters
11 Darkness
12 You've Never Heard Of Me
Band Links:-
https://www.facebook.com/johnparkesacoustichttp://johnparkes.blogspot.co.uk/
https://johnparkes.bandcamp.com/
live reviews |
|
Bull and Bottle, Bradford, 28/2/2008 |
|
| In the atmospheric backdrop of England's longest running folk club at the Bull and Bottle in Bradford, Russell Ferguson watches acoustic singer-songwriter John Parkes play an passionate, charged show of mainly political numbers |
favourite album |
|
One World (2004) |
|
| In 1977 at the time he recorded 'One World' acclaimed folk artist John Martyn was at his lowest ebb. Ben Howarth finds that anger and fury fuelled him to create his greatest and most diverse album |
soundcloud
reviews |
|
Bleeding Edge/Distant Past... (2013) |
|
| Excellent acoustic rock on third solo album from Sheffiled-born but Leeds-based singer-songwriter, John Parkes |
| Don't Be Seventeen EP (2013) |
| Illegal Songs (2008) |
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