Big Eyes Family Players - Do The Musiking

  by Sarah Rowland

published: 18 / 5 / 2006

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Review

'Do The Musiking' is an epic album with 29 tracks that Big Eyes front men James Green and David Jaycock have been putting together for the past three years. They have worked with artists they admire to create classically influenced instrumentals and folk music, the first album to be released under the new moniker of the Big Eyes Family Players. The album floats from one song to the next, at times sounding like an orchestra and others, sounding like an acoustic folk band. The atmosphere of the album is calm, soothing and very consistent, yet the songs stand clearly out from each other and the mood can jump from a breezy spring day to a sultry mix of string and piano. The songs are all very strong, but the instrumentals are more compelling than the songs with vocals, although the contrast of both works well overall. A favourite of mine is 'Bobo Square', which sounds like a children’s music box. There are a few surprises hidden within the album. 'I Just Don’t Understand' is one of them. The song has a piano riff flowing through it that sounds distinctly jazz, a refreshing twist on a predominantly folky album. 'Do The Musiking' is a fantastic album full of twists and turns, and so dense with instruments it is guaranteed to give something new on every listen.

Track Listing:-

1 Golden
2 Mr. Laurel's lapse
3 Absolute endings
4 For Gorecki
5 Owlet moth
6 Aquatopiate
7 For Cognac
8 Doreen
9 Cookoo without a clock
10 Prankyar
11 Sunday jacket
12 Bobo square
13 I just don't understand
14 Ballad of the blue lantern
15 Bear and butterfly
16 Die nacht
17 Shanty for Darty
18 Tresaith
19 A dream of fires
20 Olive
21 Going home
22 Lapping
23 Eight wrong choices
24 The printmaker's dilemmas
25 Cloak
26 And as you ask for trouble
27 The night jar
28 The two men who was one
29 Diweddglo