Chinook - Answering

by Adrian Huggins

published: 19 / 8 / 2006

Label: Select Label
Format: CDS

intro

Tongue-in-cheek modern street folk on new mini album from Chinook, the nom de plume of Birmingham-based singer/songwriter and storyteller Ed Aston

Chinook is the brainchild of singer/songwriter/story teller Ed Aston. Other musical support comes from Jim Lowe, Saul Hillier and Dave Baker, who are also known as the Charged Particles. I could not do any better to describe Chinook, namely Ed Aston, better than he is described on his myspace site: “the stoned women’s Daniel Bedingfield”. Now if that hasn’t got you intrigued then quite frankly I don’t think you have any business reading this. He comes slipping and sliding out of the Midlands, Birmingham to be precise, and with that in mind he is not a million miles away from a certain Mike Skinner. This is far more tongue-in-cheek, far more paranoid and far less mainstream sounding, however, than Chinook's music fellow brumsters the Streets. 'Answering' feature 5 highly imaginative songs which feel like short stories set to music and as if they are the snapshots of a man's mind. And this would be a man who clearly needs the aid of a tin helmet to keep his thoughts in. Unfortunately for me I sometimes found there were far too many words crammed into the songs to quite fit. I, however, let this slip because it is so entertaining. The sheer quality of the lyrics and their brutal honesty is what holds it all together and makes it work. It feels like Aston has held nothing back, and this comes across as an incredibly sensitive and almost vulnerable set of songs. It does not however sound vulnerable in the way that an emo band sound so. It is more the sound of someone who is far more self-deprecating, paranoid and often regretful, and, rather than wishing for sympathy, it is more of a warning. It is unashamedly British with the grey motorway imagery of service stations and cityscapes, especially in 'A Prayer @ Birmingham New Street'. It is very much like modern street folk music with Aston's stripped down set of vocals and acoustic guitar with the odd sound effect dominating the album. This is all it needs to suit the music and the lyrics. 'Love Dumps on the Pigeon Lord' sounds like at times like a person slowly going insane set to music, and for this reason this EP is worth checking out. It is a fascinating glimpse into a person's most inner thoughts and insecurities, but never for a second does it take itself too seriously so you never know exactly how sarcastic Aston is really being.