Phil Alvin - County Fair 2000
by Daniel Cressey
published: 18 / 4 / 2015
Label:
Select Label
Format: N/A
intro
Dan Cressey reflects on 'County Fair 2000', Blasters' front man Phil Alvin's 1994 second solo album, which, recently reissued, finds him moving away from rock and roll and experimenting with jazz and blues
Phil Alvin is best known for bringing the world the Blasters - a gloriously no-nonsense rock and roll band. On this re-release he shows an appreciation of other aspects of American music with a strong dose of blues and jazz toning down the swinging rockabilly noise. It is hard to imagine a regular rocker throwing in the big band style ‘What’s the Reason I’m Not Pleasin’ You’, as Alvin does here, much less blending Sun Ra’s ‘Ankh’ with trad. arr. tune ‘Didn’t He Ramble’, as seen on this album’s closing track. Meanwhile ‘Keep In Touch’ channels Alvin’s normally bluesy holler into a country ballad. Perhaps even more surprisingly this collection of disparate Americana influences hangs together as a project and Alvin pulls together the guesting blues man, a brass section, a jazz band and his old friends the Blasters into a cohesive album. This is an easy going ride that may not be going anywhere in particular, but it has an unexpected depth to it. With the point of reissues in a internet age seeming mainly to be milking a dedicated fan base with the excuse of an extra track of dubious quality and new cover design, this stands out as a rare exception. 'Country Fair 2000' is two decades old. It more than stands the test of time.
Track Listing:-
Also In ReView
Al Kooper and Mike Bloomfield (2019)
Andreas Dorau (2022)
Andrew Gold (2023)
Anthony Moore (2022)
Bark Psychosis (2018)
Beatles (2023)
Bert Jansch (2020)
Bert Jansch (2019)
Beth Orton (2014)
Big Eyes Family (2021)
Billy Idol (2018)
Bitter Springs (2021)
Blind Mr Jones (2015)
Blondie (2022)
Blue Nile (2014)
Bodines (2023)
Boyracer (2023)
Breathless (2016)
Brinsley Schwarz (2017)
Cardiacs (2014)
Chesterfields (2025)
Chvrches (2014)
David Bowie (2022)
David Gray (2020)
Death and Vanilla (2016)
Donald Fagen (2021)
Doug Dillard Expedition (2024)
Earthworks (2020)
Flamin Groovies (2015)
Flaming Stars (2024)
George Harrison (2024)
Giant Sand (2020)
Giant Sand (2018)
Gomez (2018)
Gong (2015)
Grace Jones (2016)
Grace Jones (2014)
Graham Day and the Forefathers (2019)
Hawks (2021)
Hawkwind (2022)
Hot Pepper (2018)
Ian A. Anderson (2021)
Ian Dury (2021)
Iron Butterfly (2014)
Jesse Garon and The Desperadoes (2025)
John Cooper Clarke (2016)
Joni Mitchell (2021)
Keith Richards (2022)
Lapre (2020)
Lemonheads (2022)
Loft (2025)
Loft (2021)
Madness (2014)
Madonna (2024)
McCarthy (2015)
Mercury Rev (2019)
Miscellaneous (2020)
Miscellaneous (2014)
Monochrome Set (2015)
Mothmen (2015)
Neil Innes (2020)
New Leaf (2022)
New Musik (2023)
One Thousand Violins (2023)
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (2015)
Orchids (2023)
Party Day (2021)
Pele (2017)
Phil Ochs (2016)
Primitives (2015)
Prolapse (2022)
Robin Trower (2025)
Roger Mcguinn (2018)
Rubik (2021)
Saloon (2025)
Sorrow (2018)
T. Rex (2023)
Television Personalities (2018)
Terry Allen (2016)
Thin Lizzy (2023)
Townes Van Zandt (2015)
Trashmen (2020)
Ty Segall (2022)
UB40 (2015)
Various (2022)
Various (2022)
VIPS (2020)
Wolfhounds (2015)
Zz Top (2018)
Band Links:-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_AlvinPicture Gallery:-
most viewed articles
current edition
Spear Of Destiny - InterviewRobert Forster - Interview
Fiona Hutchings - Interview
When Rivers Meet - Waterfront, Norwich, 29/5/2025
Carl Ewens - David Bowie 1964 to 1982 On Track: Every Album, Every Song
Brian Wilson - Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
Chris Wade - Interview
Pistol Daisys - Waterfront, Norwich, 29/5/2025
Credits - ARC, Liverpool, 17/5.2025
Gary Numan - Berserker
previous editions
Heavenly - P.U.N.K. Girl EPBoomtown Rats - Ten Songs That Made Me Love....
Barrie Barlow - Interview
Manic Street Preachers - (Gig of a Lifetime) Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, December 1999
Oasis - Oasis, Earl's Court, London, 1995
Dwina Gibb - Interview
Pixies - Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
David Paton - Magic: The David Paton Story
Chuck Prophet - Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
Sound - Interview with Bi Marshall Part 1
most viewed reviews
current edition
Peter Doolan - I Am a Tree Rooted to the Spot and a Snake Moves Around Me,in a CircleGarbage - Let All That We Imagine Be The Light
Vinny Peculiar - Things Too Long Left Unsaid
Little Simz - Lotus
John McKay - Sixes and #Sevens
Suzanne Vega - Flying With Angels
HAIM - I Quit
Morcheeba - Escape The Chaos
Vultures - Liz Kershaw Session 16.06.88
Billy Nomates - Metalhorse
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart