Twenty seven year old Faul Bradley hails from Manchester in the UK. Over
the years he has played in several bands playing just about everything from
folk to hard rock. With "Dirty Blues & The Last Train Home," however,
Bradley returns to his first love, and does it very successfully too.
Bradley lays his cards on the table right from the off, with "You Will Be
My No. 1." If acoustic blues, heavy on the slide, is what you like, then
you have come to the right place. The most apparent influences here are
people like Son House and Robert Johnson, all imparted with the spirit and
originality that characterized much of the great British folk-blues players
from the 1960's such as Bert Jansch, John Renbourn and Davy Graham. This
view is supported by the ensuing "4 A.M." which chugs along nicely, and
hints at Bob Dylan (although the harp is a lot beefier), as does "Achin'
Heart Blues."
All of the tracks on "Dirty Blues..." are Bradley originals. There is
plenty of good stuff here to choose from, although it has to be said that
the vast majority is steeped in the more melancholy side of the blues.
Nevertheless, it is all played and sung very well. The talkover that is
used on the darkly brooding "The Dirty Blues (Part 1)" is a bit
distracting, however.
The album rounds off with "The Last Train Home," a song that should give
many people pause for thought. It tells a tale about one of the people who
live out on the streets in all weathers, and is obviously suffering. There
is then a gap of well over two minutes before an unlisted ("hidden") track
turns up. When this device was first used it was perceived as clever or
cute; nowadays it is little more than an irritant.
"Dirty Blues & The Last Train Home" is a fine album from a new name. It
demonstrates that Faul Bradley can play and sing, and is capable of writing
good tunes (even if they are not all a bundle of laughs). "Dirty Blues..."
would be a welcome addition to the collections of anyone with an interest
in folk-blues.
www.reverentialrecords.co.uk
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