Freakwater - Thinking Of You
by Geraint Jones
published: 19 / 9 / 2005
Label:
Thrill Jockey
Format: CD
intro
Fine first album in six years from the ever versatile Freakwater, which blends together country music, folk, bluegrass and Americana
Six years on from their last album, 1999’s ‘End Time’, Freakwater return with probably their most fully realised and accessible album to date. Opening with the resonating thrum of piano strings on ‘Right Brothers’, the twin vocals of Catherine Irwin and Janet Beveridge Bean find their niche immediately, alternating and interweaving to greater effect than they have ever done previously. Irwin’s voice won’t work for everyone, her borderline caterwauling could become perilously overbearing at times, but she’s fine-tuned it over the years and with Janet Beveridge Bean’s sweeter tones, albeit taking more of a back seat to Irwin’s more strident phrasing, in unison the pair blend very effectively. Played with gusto and no little sense of humour, amidst the more usual gothic and old-time flavours we have come to expect from them, there’s as much here that won’t have been anticipated. Produced by Califone front-man Tim Rutili, who also guests along with the rest of the band at various junctures, collectively they make ‘Thinking Of You’ a triumphant success. No more emphatic of the unexpected is ‘So Strange’, a rollicking honky-tonk, organ-drenched 60's flavoured, almost kitsch pop hybrid which is terrific fun. It’s not long before the band return to more familiar territory though with the exceptional slow-time and sombre waltz that is ‘Cathy Ann’, it’s old-time fiddle introduction punctuated by mellifluous pedal steel interludes definitely making this one to remember. The quality, diversity and dammit we’re having a good time why don’t you join us attitude is maintained throughout before culminating in the deceptively infectious ‘Hi Ho Silver’. For anyone with even a passing interest in the roots of country music, folk and bluegrass, let alone contemporary Americana/Alt country, I can’t recommend ‘Thinking Of You’ highly enough. For everyone else why not begin getting acquainted here with what’s simply a fine example of music, whichever genre you want to pigeon-hole the band into.
Track Listing:-
1 Right Brothers2 Cricket versus Ant
3 Buckets of Oil
4 So Strange
5 Loserville
6 Cathy Ann
7 Double Clutch
8 Sap
9 Jack the Knife
10 Jewel
11 Upside Down
12 Hi Ho Silver
Band Links:-
https://en-gb.facebook.com/officialfreakwater/https://twitter.com/thefreakwater
Label Links:-
http://www.thrilljockey.com/https://www.facebook.com/ThrillJockey
https://twitter.com/thrilljockey
reviews |
Scheherazade (2016) |
Fabulous combination of tradition and experimentation in first album in ten years from American alt. country band Freakwater |
most viewed articles
current edition
In Dreams Begin Responsibilities - #15- On Being Dignified and Old aka Ten Tips From Jah Wobble On How To Be Happy.Dennis Tufano - Copernicus Center, Chicago, 19/7/2024
Elliott Murphy - Interview
Adrian Gurvitz - Interview
Wreckless Eric - Interview
In Dreams Begin Responsibilities - #16: Living in the Minds of Strangers
In Dreams Begin Responsibilities - #17: Tom Robinson
Norman Rodger - Interview
Chris Spedding - Interview
Penumbra - Interview
most viewed reviews
current edition
Groovy Uncle - Making ExcusesBill Wyman - Drive My Car
Hawkestrel - Chaos Rocks
Philip Parfitt - The Dark Light
Deep Purple - =1
Ross Couper Band - The Homeroad
Jules Winchester - The Journey
John Murry and Michael Timmins - A Little Bit of Grace and Decay
Popstar - Obscene
Splashgirl and Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe - More Human
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