Anthony Reynolds and La Muneca de Sal - Blues for Bobby Solo

by Anthony Strutt

published: 26 / 3 / 2010

Anthony Reynolds and La Muneca de Sal - Blues for Bobby Solo

Label: Chaffinch Records
Format: 7"

Heartfelt new vinyl and download only EP from former Jack front man Anthony Reynolds, upon which he has collaborated with Spanish band La Muneca de Sal

Review

Anthony Reynolds is the former lyricist and singer with Too Pure band, Jack. He has since released records under the nom de plume of Jacques as well as under his own name. He is also a poet, story writer and has in recent years started writing music biographies, including one on his heroes, the Walker Brothers, and he is now currently working on a book on Leonard Cohen. ‘Blues for Bobby Solo’ is a six track EP which finds him collaborating with Spanish group La Muneca de Sal, with whom he will be releasing an album later this year. It starts with ‘Luto Walking’, which is slow and moving, very heartfelt, and an instantly moody instrumental. ‘Be My Ex-Girlfriend’ has a charming vocal, which is delivered in a style that we have grown used to from Anthony in that it recalls Scott Walker at his very best. It is dark in mood, but very elegant and La Muneca de Sal as his backing band deliver a performance on it that is as powerful as anything produced by Jack. ‘Wonderful Life’ is a cover of Liverpool band Black's 1987 song, 'Wonderful Life'. Both Anthony and La Muneca de Sal sound on it quite like Cousteau, another band that also sound like Scott Walker. It is a perfect song for Anthony's vocal range. ‘Life's a Laugh’ is a novelty, a spoken word piece over a musical soundscape that is delivered in a wacky way. On ‘For When You Were Young’ Anthony is very loud and the music is aggressive and turbulent with lots of attitude and fire. ‘Luto’, the last track, sounds like a moody and reflective instrumental by the Cure. An excellent EP from a still very much under-rated talent.