Terrascope review - "Twelve Strings to the Beau"...

Really fine review of “Twelve Strings to the Beau” in July’s Terrascope Rumbles.

Strange though that it says there’s no web address. There is of course - http://thesoundofsalvation.bigcartel.com/product/beau-twelve-strings-to-the-beau

***

“Twelve Strings To The Beau” by Beau marks the appearance of a long forgotten album, never before released - though John Peel’s Dandelion label did release Beau’s first two albums to considerable success in the early ‘seventies. As Beau himself relates for the release of this album, he was asked by the band Tractor to use their new recording studio to create some songs - which he did. And here they are now, recorded over two days in February 1975. Opening cut ‘Love Is’ is just the man and his guitar (as are all the tracks here), singing gently and wonderfully. ‘The Roses Of Eyam’ sounds more like a trad folk tune - another fine vocal. ‘Miss Alice Preece’ is a dark tale of infant-snatching, while ‘Cartoon’ is a softer song, while ‘The Commodore’ is a classic folk style tale concerning oceans, men and power. ‘Bristol Museum’ is an alternate World War 2 tale, while ‘The Wine Was Sweeter Then’ does have a bit of a French feel to it (perhaps the melody, perhaps the singing style). ‘Why Do You Laugh?’ is a lengthy reminiscence over events in Britain in 1974, with many fine images (those were indeed grim times), ‘Shanty Town’ concerns shipbuilding strikes, a common theme amongst folk musicians it would seem, while album closer ‘Goodbye’ is both terrific musically and a fascinating reverie on the nature of inspiration. There will no doubt be quite a fanfare over the release after 38 years of this album, and quite rightly so.

(no web address but email thesoundofsalvation@hotmail.co.uk)