Davey Woodward - 6 Miles East of Here 5 Miles North of Nowhere

  by Dixie Ernill

published: 2 / 12 / 2010

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Review

Despite nearly three decades of making music, Davey Woodward remains the perennial underdog, seemingly destined to be teased and tantalised by a deserved fame more easily afforded to less worthy artists. Forever critically acclaimed but somehow out of step with fashion his output has never failed to excite a hardcore fan base and debut solo CD, '6 Miles East of Here 5 Miles North of Nowhere', is certainly no exception to the rule. Having spent the 80's and early 90's cutting his teeth in the Brilliant Corners, a charmingly English band that delivered a blend of alternative pop from elements of the Buzzcocks, Postcard Records, the Velvet Underground and Bob Dylan, Woodward has pushed the boundaries over the last 15 years as front-man of the Experimental Pop Band. Initially the EPB were more dance influenced, experimenting in the studio with samples and keys rather than just guitars, but over the years a greater rock aspect has filtered back into their sound. So much so their last two long players 2004's 'Tarmac and Flames' and 2007's 'Tinsel Stars' are both assured pop masterpieces that the likes of Blur would trade hind teeth for. And so to the aforementioned debut solo CD that has been made over the last couple of years while the EPB deliberate over a forthcoming sixth studio LP. Woodward's trained ear for a nagging melody remains as alert as ever and his easy way with lyrics, that singles him out as one of England's consistently impressive if undervalued songwriters, is present throughout. Drawing on the richly observed interactions of relationships, that almost reads like a social worker's casebook, Woodward extracts every last emotional hang-up and distills it into delicate vignettes. Whilst a clear blood relation to both the Brilliant Corners and the EPB, the album nods more in the direction of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen. Opening with the gentle orchestration of 'Everyone's Dying', courtesy of musical cohort Jim Barr, the subject of social concern and paranoia comes to the fore in the excellent lyric "Why don't you fuck off and leave me alone?" It's a stunning start and sets the tone for the whole album. 'Shiver' is a wonderful follow up with only an acoustic guitar to accompany Woodward's laconic drawl, while musically 'Copacabana Pills' is the nearest thing to the EPB in it's examination of someone desperately trying to cling to their youth. The catchy 'Always Look Back' has a slight country feel and 'The West Country' is a caustic tale of a failing relationship, which is continued on and the excellent 'Love to be Loved'. Final track, 'Asleep With Your Woman'sympathises with the woman of an adulterer to round up a fairly comprehensive jog round the extremes of relationships in a little over half an hour. Like all the best albums it benefits from additional plays and having first received a promo copy 18 months ago, I can vouch for its longevity. Buy this album, spread the word and maybe someday soon Davey Woodward will have his time in the limelight. It's long overdue!

Track Listing:-

1 Everyone's Dying
2 Shiver
3 OC2
4 Monsters
5 Copacabana Pills
6 68 Daggers
7 Burger Bar
8 Always Look Back
9 The West Country
10 Love To Be Loved
11 Falling Out Of Your Window
12 Asleep With Your Woman

Label Links:-

http://wearitwellrecords.blogspot.co.u