John Parkes - Don't Be Seventeen EP

  by Malcolm Carter

published: 12 / 1 / 2013

Label: Aaz Records
Format: CDS

intro

Evocative and melodic acoustic folk on new EP from Leeds-based singer-songwriter, John Parkes

Back in the mid-80’s, a few singer/songwriters were being hailed as the new Billy Bragg (as if the world needed more than one Bragg, and that’s coming from a fan who was there at the beginning). A couple who come instantly to mind are a chap who went by the name of Floyd, who released at least one good album, and a young Rodney Allen before he took off in Gerard Langley’s Blue Aeroplanes. Some critics are hailing Parkes as the new Billy Bragg ( Bragg has also been mentioned in many of the reviews for Parkes’ two full length albums) and, while Parkes’ urban folk songs do share some similarities with Bragg’s early works, he is far from being anyone’s clone, at least on this showing. Lest we forget, the protest song has been around for a long time and Bragg wasn’t the first to mix pop and politics… Championed by John Peel and Steve Lamacq when he fronted various bands in the past, these four new songs place Parkes in an acoustic setting where his crystal-clear, immediately likeable vocals demand your attention from the off. Applause can quietly be heard at times which indicates that the songs were recorded live; if they were then Parkes can certainly carry a tune live and his guitar skills are pretty impressive. ‘My Hit Song’ shows that Parkes can successfully mix a little humour into his work and, although tucked away as the closing track on this four-song EP, its melody is instantly appealing and, like all of Parkes work, the song is lyrically smart and strong. For a live recording his vocals are particularly impressive on this track. The lead-off track and the one gaining the most attention, however, is the title song. It appears that the song is about former lovers making contact again, the warmth of the keyboards and the introduction of harmonica halfway through lifts the song and takes it from just another acoustic-based tune into something more compelling; Parkes’ way with a winning melody shines through on this song. ‘Fireships’ uses its title subject as a metaphor for lost love. Initially it appears to be the weakest song on the EP, but after a few plays it really eats its way into your head and at two minutes is a short but perfectly formed song. Stick with it, although it’s not as immediate as the other songs repeated playing really does pay off. ‘History 2’ finds Parkes looking back on a long lost love from East Germany. Again Parkes lyrics pull you into the song and paint a vivid picture in your mind. The power of one man and his acoustic is obviously alive and well in John Parkes. If this is a taster for a forthcoming album is unclear, but the feeling is that Parkes probably just wanted to get these songs out there while they were still fresh and, with the sympathetic production afforded by Neil Ferguson (New Model Army, Steve Tilston, Chumbawamba), Parkes has made the right move. Yet another release from the Leeds singer-songwriter that will further his career even more and can’t fail to widen his audience.

Track Listing:-

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