Tuesday 10 December 2013

Ugly Things Magazine reviews "Twelve Strings to the Beau"...

There's a truly great review of “Twelve Strings to the Beau” in the new issue of Ugly Things Magazine from the US. Many thanks to one and all...

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BEAU - Twelve Strings to the Beau
(Sound & (sic) Salvation, UK) LP
It really has been an amazing year for reissues and discoveries. One that I’m sure will stand out in the folk circles is this first time appearance of the unreleased third album from UK folk genius Beau (aka Trevor Midgley, whom we covered in depth in UT#34). Shelved for 35 years after Beau got a promotion at his day job, it stands as some of his most creative songwriting. Beau’s two LPs on John Peel’s Dandelion label are criminally underrated, but are gaining a strong reputation, and this release may push that into overdrive.

The title of the LP says it all, all tracks are just Beau and his 12-string guitar, but the chemistry is mesmerizing. The LP flows from gentle to dark in a beat, recalling some of the finer moments on Bill Fay’s album (if you replace the piano with a 12-string). Some especially captivating moments are found in “The Commodore,” “Cartoon,” and “Bristol Museum.” The flipside gets a bit more fast-paced, and is equally solid. For anyone into classic UK folk, such as Al Stewart’s early CBS albums or the aforementioned Bill Fay, this is an essential album to add to your collection. (Alex Kerner)



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