▄▄██▄▄
▄███▓▒ ░█
░ ░█▓██▓█▒░ █
░█▓█▓█▒ ░ ░░█
░ ░ ░ ░ ░ ██▒░▓█▒ ░░ ░█
░ ░ ░ ░ ░█▓▒█░ ░ ░█
░ ░ ░ ░ ░ ░ ▄▄▄▄░ ░ ░▀▄▓█░ ░▄▀ ▄▄▄▄
░ ░ ░ ░ ░ ░ ░ ▀░ ░▄██▓▒▓████▄ ░▀████▀ ▄█▀░ ░ ▀▀▄ .
░ ▄▄█▀▀▄▄▄ ░ ░ ░░ ░█▓█▓▒███▓█▓▓█▄██▓░▀███▓▒ ░ ░▒█ ▄▓▄
░█▓█▄▀▀▄█▀▀▄█ █ ░█▓██░▓░█▓▓█▓██▄▀▄█▄██▓█ ░ ░ ░ ░▓█ ▀
░ █▓▒█ ▀░▓█▀▄ ▀ █▓▓█▓▒▓██▓██▀█▄█▓█ ▀▄▓▒ ░░ ░ ░▓█ ▄▄█▄▀
██▄▀ ░ ▄▓▄ ░▒███ ░ ▀██▄░▒▓██▀ ██▓██ ░░▓█▄▄▄ ░ ▄▄▄▀ ░█▄████▄▀
░██▄▓░ ░ ▀ ░▓█▄ ░▄▓▄░ ░▀▀ ░▓██▓█▓▒░ ░░▒█░ ▀▀▀░ ░▄█▄▀▄▀▄██░ ░▄▓▄
░███▓░▀ ░█▄ ░▀░ ░ ░░ █▓█▓▒█ ░ ░ ▓█▄▀▄░▀ ░▄░▀██▓ ░▒▓█░▄▀ ░▀
▄ ▀███▄▄▄ . ░▀▄ ▄ ▄▄ ░▀ ░ █▓░░ ░ ░▒█░█▄█▓▀░ ▀█▄▒░ ░ █▀▄░
░█████▄█▀▄██▀▄▄ ░ ▀▄ ░ ▀ ▀ ▄▄▀█ ▀▄ ░ ░ ░█ ████▄▒▄▀▓░ ▄▄▄▄▄▄▀█▀ ▀
░▀▄▀█▄▀██▄▄▀▓░ ░ ░▀▄▀ ░ ▀▀▄░▄▀█▀▄████▀ ▀▀▄▄▀▀ ▄███▄▄█▄▄▄▀▀▀▀ ▄▄▄▄░▀▄█▀▄
.░▀█▀██▀░▀ ░▀▀▀▄▄▄▀▀▀░▀▄▄░▀▀▀▄▄███████████▄▄ ▀▄▓███▀ ▀▀▄▄▄▄█████████▄░█▄█
▄█ █▓░ ▀ ░ ░ ░ ░ █▀▀▄▄█▄██▄▄▄▀▀▀▄▄▄▄▀▀░▄▀▄▄█████▀▀▀ ░▀███████▀██ █
░██ █ █▓░ ░ ░ ░ ▄▄▄▀▀▀▄▄█▄█▄▄▀▀▀▀▄▄▄▄████████▄░ ▄█████▓░ ░▄░███████ █▄█
████▄▀▄▄▀▄▄▄▄▀▀▀▓▄▄███▄▄░▀▀▄▄█████▀▀▀ ▓█████ ░██████░ ░ ▓███████▀█ ▓
░█ █▀▄▄▄▀▀▄▄▄▀▀▀▀▓███████░▓█████▓░ ░█████ ██████ ░ .░░ ░ █ ▄█░
░▀▀▄█ ▄████░ ░███████ ██████░ ▄▓▄ █████░ ██████░ ░ █▄▀█░█
░ ░██████ ▀ ▓██████░██████ ░ ▀ ░█████░ ██████ ░▄▄▄▄▄▄ ▀░.
░█ ███████▀▄ ░██████▓██████░ . ░██████░ ░███████ ▀█
░ ░███████░▓█ ░ ██████░██████ ░ ▄▄▄▄███▄░ ██████░ ███████ ▀▄ ▀
░ ███████ ░█ ░██████ ░█████▄▄████▀▀▀██████░██████ ░███████ █▀░
░▄▓▄ ░███▀██▄ ▄▀ .██████░ ░░▀▀▀▀▀ █████ ██████░ ░▀ ░▓███████ ██
░▀ ░▀▓█▀▄█▄█▄▀░ ██████ ░ ▄▄▄░ ░█████░██████▓░ ▄▄██████▀▄█▀░
. ▄▀█▀▄▄█▄▄░ ░█████▓ ████████ ░█ █████ ▀█████▄████▀▀▀▀▄▄▄▄▀▄▀
░█ ▀███████ ░ ░ █████░ ████████░ ░████▀▄█▄▄▀▀▀▀▄▄▄▄▄█████▄█▀ ░▄▓▄
▓▀▀███████▀▄ ▀ █████ ████████▓ ░▄▄▄███▀▀▄█▀░▄ ▀▀▀████▄▄ ▀▄██▀▄░ .▀
░ █ ███████░ █ ▄ ░█████░ ▀██████████▀▀▀▀▄▄█▀▄█▄ ░▀░▄█▓▒▓░▒▓█░ ░██▄█▓ ░
░█ ███████ ▀ ███▀▄▀█▄▄▀▀▀▀▀▄▄▄▄███▀██▀▀░ ▀ █░█▓█▓ ░ ░▓█░ ▀▄▀▄░ ▄▄▀
█ ██████░ ▄▄▄▀▀▀▄█▄██▀█▄████████████▀ ░█ ▄▄▄▄ ░██▒░ ▒███ ▀▀▀
░▀▄▀████▀▀▀▄▄▄▀██ █▄▀▀█▄▄█████████▄▀ ▄ ▄█████▓██▄ ██▓░█▓█░▄▄████▄▄
░ ▀▄▄▄▄█▀▀████▀▄▀ ░ ▄ ▀▀▄████▄███▄ █▓█▓█▓░▒░█░█▀██▓█▀▄█▓█▓▒▓▒░░▀▄
░ ░▀ ▄▀▄█████▓ ▀ ░ ▀▀ ███▀▄█ ▀░▀██▓██░█▄▀ █▀█▄▀██▓█▒░▓░ ░ ░ █
░▄▓▄ ░ ▀▀▀███░█ ░ . ░ ▀ ▀▀▀▄█▄█▄▄░ ░▀▀▀▀█▄▀▀▄█▓██░ ▀█▓▒▓ ░ ░▄▀
░▀ ░ ░ ▀▄█ ▄░ ░▓█░ ▄▓▄ ▀▀▀█▄▀▄█▄█▄▀██▀▄██▓██▓░█░ ▀▀█▄▄▀▀
▀▄█▄░ ▄▄▀ ▀ ▀▄▀▄▀▀▀ ▄ █▓█▓█░ ▒█ ░
▀▀▀ ██▓▒░▒░ █░
▀ ██▓▒░ █░
▀██▄▀
Presents:
John Tams - the Reckoning
RiPPER..: Billy Cristal GENRE......: Folk
LABEL...: Topic SCENE DATE.: 03/13/2006
bITRATE.: VBR/44,1Hz STORE DATE.: 09/05/2005
ENCODER.: Lame 3.903 APS TRACKS.....: 11
SiZE....: 56,7 MB SOURCE.....: CDDA
▄▀▀▄
░█░ ▒▓█░
▄▄▄▀▄█▓█▀▄▄▄ ▀ ░ ░ ░ ░▀▄░
░▄▀░█▓█▄██▄█▓█░▀▄▀▄▄ ░▄▓▄ ▓▄░▄▄░ ░ . ░▓█▄▀ ░
▀▄▒▓██▀█▄▀██▓▒▄▀░▄▄▀▄▄░▀ ▄▄▀█▀▄█▄▄▀▄▄ ░▀ ▄▄▄▀█▀▄ ▀ ▄▄████░
░▀▀░▄██▓█▄▀▀▀ ░▀▀▀▀▄▄█▀▀ ▀▄▀░▀▀▀▀▀▀ ░▀▀▀ ▀▀▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▄▀█▀▄▀▄
█▓▒░▓█▓▄ ███▀▀███ ███░▄▀ ███▀███ ██▄ ███░███▀▀▀░███▀██░
▄▀ ░ ▀▄▄▀▄▄█░███ ░███░███ ░▀░███░ . ░███████.███░▄▀ ███░██ ░
▓█░ ▄▓▄ ▄▀██▄ ███ ▓███ ███ ▀▄ ███▄▄▄▄ ███████░███▄▄▄░███ ██
░█ █░ ▀ ▓▀███▀█░███▀▀██▓░███░▄▀ ░ ░▓███░███████ ███░ ▄ ███░██░.
▓▀▄█▄▄▄█▀█▀██▀░███ ░██░.███▄▄▄░██▄▄███░███ ▀██░███ ▄▀░███▄██ ░
░ ▀▄▄▀██▄▀ ░▄▄█▄▄▄▄▀▄ ▄▄ ▄ ▄▄▄▄ ▄▄▄▄ ▄▄ ▄▄█▄▄▄▀▄▄▄▄▄▄▄ ▄▄▄▀▄░
░ ░▀░ ▀ . ░▀▀▄█▄▀▀▄▀▀░▀▄███▀█▄▀▄█▓██▄ ▀▄██▀▄▀ ▀ ▀▄▀▄█░
▀ ▀▀ . ░▓█▄█▀▀ █▓▒░▓█ ▀▀ ▀ ░▀ . ▀▄
░█ ██▄▄██▄▀▄▄▀▄█▀▀▄ ▄▓▄
░▀▄▀▄▀█▓█▓░██▀█▓▒░ ░█ ▀
░ ▀▄▄▀▄█▀█▀▄▄▄▀
██▓▒░█░
▀██▓▄▀
▀▀
- TRACKLIST
01 Written in the Book 03:47
02 Safe House 04:24
03 Amelia 04:14
04 How High the Price + All Clouds the Sky + 07:16
St Hilda's Waltz
05 Bitter Withy 06:45
06 A Man of Constant Sorrow 05:23
07 Pretty Nancy 02:35
08 A Sailor's Life 04:10
09 One More Day 04:44
10 As I Looked East, as I Looked West 02:08
11 Including Love 02:51
Total Playtime: 48:17
- NOTES
Personnel include: John Tams (vocals, acoustic guitar,
banjo, electric bass); Barry Coope (vocals, drums); Graeme
Taylor (electric guitar); Andy Seward (bouzouki); Steve
Dawson (trumpet, cornet); Keith Angel (percussion).
*
Mojo (p.64) - Ranked #5 in Mojo's "2005 Folk Albums Of The
Year."Mojo (p.110) - 4 stars out of 5 - "An album that
seems to grow in stature with every play as Tams absorbs
all his familiar qualities as a keeper of the
tradition....An exceptional album."
*
Alan Murray (The Living Tradition)
This review has been prepared under the 2005 Bechofer
rules for CD criticsà unqualified praise discouraged and
clichΘs (hopefully) avoided like the plague (!).
This is a John Tams CD û so there are some ôgivenö
expectations. WeÆd expect anthemic songs, some
traditional, some not. WeÆd expect Albion Band/Home
Service flavoured instrumentation with the odd toot from a
brass section. WeÆd expect a slightly sombre, or at least
thoughtful, feel generally. All of these we have. The
question is, ôIs this a good John Tams CD?ö
Answer û most definitely ôyesö. The opener, æWritten in
the BookÆ, is a wistful self-penned comment on ageing and
nostalgia. ThereÆs a spooky version of æ The Bitter
WithyÆ, whose tune supports the disturbing story far
better than does the rather jolly one that we all know
better. John signs off on an atypical jaunty swing/shuffle
with... (ôeverything goes up in priceö)àIncluding Love. On
æ The ReckoningÆ, JT has managed to stretch his writing
and performing usefully without sounding either forced or
unlike himself. As is usual, itÆs hard to be sure without
prior knowledge which of the songs is self-penned, as JTÆs
writing has such a strong traditional ôfeelö.
If you know and like JohnÆs work û youÆll love this. If
you donÆt, it might be a good place to start, with more
variety than some of his earlier work, while remaining
very recognisably JT, very English and very distinctive.
*
John Tams is highly regarded in British folk circles, and
rightly so. His work as a solo artist, member of Home
Service, and the Albion Band has all been of the highest
quality. These days his real focus is on his own work, and
with The Reckoning he's released an absolute cracker of an
album -- albeit one that won't sit handily in any
pigeonhole. Several of the songs on here, like "Written in
the Book" or "Amelia," could fit into alt-country, along
with his cover of the perennial "A Man of Constant
Sorrow," while he's also extremely comfortable with
traditional material, although performed in his own
fashion, as with "Bitter Withy" or "A Sailor's Life,"
which forms part of "The Sea." It's indicative of the
quality of Tams' own songs that it's impossible to
discover which is original and which is traditional unless
you know. There's a mellow warmth to his voice that wraps
easily around the material, bringing it alive in an easy
fashion. Listening to him becomes a joy -- the album slips
by even before you know it, but reveals its true delights
only gradually, over several plays -- a turn of phrase
there, an interesting solo, an acute lyric, or soaring
chorus. It's a disc from a mature talent, one who's in no
rush, and values his craft as much as his art. The
musicians backing him obviously know him well, giving him
plenty of space, never crowding the arrangements. In many
ways it's down-home, playing in the kitchen, but with a
wonderful professionalism that makes the entire thing a
joy. The Reckoning is Tams at his very best, and that's
saying a lot.
-- Chris Nickson (AMG)
*
Amazon Listener:
What makes John Tams' songs so special?, March 11, 2006
What makes John Tams' songs so special? Well, he has a
genius for melody, and his words are intelligent and
imaginative. His obvious sympathy with the underdog, both
past and present, lends sincerity to his singing and
provides much original material.
But musically, the reason why these are songs are so
unusual is that they are obviously written by a singer,
not by a guitarist or a pianist. The melodies seem
unrelated to any obvious chords. The rhythms are hard to
pin down. They change and develop as Tams shortens or
lengthens his lines and changes his pace. The musicians
have to follow along as best they can (and they do so
brilliantly). The folk-rock of the past was generally
driven by the rhythm section of a band. Although Sandy
Denny would sometimes lag behind or forge ahead, Tams goes
one stage further. His strong vocals definitely lead the
band. The musicians accompany him, and the accompaniment
itself has endless variations.
Another delightful touch, probably owing something to
Tam's early contact with Joe Boyd (original producer for
Fairport, Sandy Denny etc.) comes in the odd little
musical digressions, unexpected and delightful: a change
of rhythm, an unexpected instrument, a snatch of melody or
harmony unrelated to the main song, leading into it or out
of it.
The end result is not merely a dozen familiar tunes you
like to whistle while walking the dog; neither the
melodies nor the rhythms will allow for that. They are
songs (or rather cycles of songs and snatches of songs)
that you want to hear again and again, to rediscover
exactly how they went. Some musical moments will appeal
more than others, but none are so easily remembered that
you grow weary of them. Their appeal is a lasting one.
"Home" was the first of Tams' solo recordings that I heard
and (perhaps for that reason) remains my favourite. But
the whole trilogy (with "Unity" and "The Reckoning")
remains an ongoing delight.
*
Amazon Listener:
Perfection!, February 13, 2006
Think of any superlative you like, it would be inadequate
to express how wonderful this disc is! John Tams has been
a leading light on the folk music scene for decades but
his first solo outing was the wonderful Unity, released in
2001. It was followed by the equally wonderful (IMHO) Home
in 2002. Now, just when I thought nothing could beat those
two, comes The Reckoning! Each song is superb. I have been
listening to it for days now and have yet to even think
about getting tired of it. Each of the 11 tracks is a
mini-masterpiece. The Sea suite, All Clouds the Sky,
Written in the Book, The Bitter Withy, Safe House, Amelia,
Including Love and the awesome Man of Constant Sorrow are
all superlative. Give it a listen. A must for any music
collection!
*
http://www.johntams.co.uk/CDreviews3.htm
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000AA4K9W/026-9947805-8016415
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/paul.thorp/
http://www.johntams.co.uk/
*
About John Tams:
by Craig Harris
British guitarist and singer John Tams is, according to
Mojo magazine, "one of the unsung gods of folk." Although
his debut solo album, Unity, wasn't released until 2000,
Tams has made his presence felt among the British folk
community for more than three decades. A member of Ashley
Hutching's Albion Band from 1976 until 1987, he continued
his musical assault as leader of the political British
folk-rock band Home Service and pit director of the
National Theater. Launching a record label, No Masters
Co-operative, with producer Jim Boyes in the early '90s,
he worked with several folk artists, including Lal
Waterson. Music has provided only one outlet for Tams'
creativity. A highly skilled actor and theatrical
producer, he served as an associate director of the
Crucible Theater and has been a regular producer of dramas
for Radio 4. In addition to appearing in a lead role on
the popular TV show Sharpe, he composed and performed the
show's soundtrack. Born and raised in a Northern England
pub, Tams spent many childhood hours listening to jam
sessions in the room below his bedroom. His grandfathers
further strengthened his love of music: one played
concertina and mouth organ while the other played trumpet
and violin and conducted a brass band. Although he played
trumpet in a brass band at the age of 11, he found his
natural musical voice after switching to the guitar.
*
Another Quality Release from OSC!!
Enjoy!!
▄▀▀▄
░█░ ▒▓█░
▄▄▄▀▄█▓█▀▄▄▄ ▀ . ░ ░ ░ ░▀▄░
░▄▀░█▓█▄██▄█▓█░▀▄▀▄▄ ░▄▓▄ ▓▄░▄▄░ ░ ░▓█▄▀ ░
▀▄▒▓██▀█▄▀██▓▒▄▀░▄▄▀▄▄░▀ ▄▄▀█▀▄█▄▄▀▄▄ ░▀ ▄▄▄▀█▀▄ ▀ ▄▄████░
░▀▀░▄██▓█▄▀▀▀ ░▀▀▀▀▄▄█▀▀ ▀▄▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀▀▀▀ ▀▀▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▄▀▀ ▀▀▄
. █▓▒░▓█▓▄ ██▀▀▀███.███▀▀███ ██▀▀▀███░██▄ ███ ███▀▀▀░███▀██.
▄▀ ░ ▀▄▄▀▄▄█░██░ ░███ ███░ ███░██░▄░███ ███████▓███░▀░ ███░██░
▓█░ ▄▓▄ ▄▀██▄ ██ ░ ▀▀▀░███ ░███ ██ ░ ███░███████░███▄▄▄░███ ██
░█ █░ ▀ ▓▀███▀█░██░.▀▀██ ███▀▀██░░██▀▀▀▀▀▀ ███████.███ ▄ ███░██░
▓▀▄█▄▄▄█▀█▀██▀░██▄▄▄▄██░███░ ██ ▓██ ▄▄▀▄▀░███░▀██░███ ▄▀░███▄██
░ ▀▄▄▀██▄▀ ░▄▄█▄▄▄▄▀▄ ▄▄ ▄ ▄▄▄▄ ▄▄▄▄ ▄▄ █▄▄▄▄▄▀▄▄▄▄▄▄▄██▄▄▄▄░▄ ▄
░ ░▀░ ▀ ░▀▀▄█▄▀▀▄▀▀░▀▄███▀█▄▀▄█▓██▄ ▀▄██▀▄▀ ▀ ▀▄▀▄█▀▄
▀ ▀▀ . ░▓█▄█▀▀ █▓▒░▓█ ▀▀ ▀ ░▀ . ▀▄
░█ ██▄▄██▄▀▄▄▀▄█▀▀▄ ▄▓▄
░▀▄▀▄▀█▓█▓░██▀█▓▒░ ░█ ▀
░ ▀▄▄▀▄█▀█▀▄▄▄▀
██▓▒░█░
▀██▓▄▀
▀▀
-NEWS
OSC is still holding it down after more than 2 years in
tha scene. Our dedication to bringing you the best in
ol skool classics is, and always will be, our driving
force. Quality over quantity.
"It's all about the music, fuck the other ish." - OSC
Because of this motto we strive to continue bringing you
releases in the highest possible quality, whether it be
urban, house, latin or any other genre.
ASCII BY CACIQ^ACL #ascii.cl