Hi Bob. Hope you well.
I see from the NP on your messages to the list that you have been playing the 'Eddie
Reader' album. Your taste is impeccable. I love Eddie Reader, have all her albums.
Have you had a chance to listen to 'Simple Soul', her latest? It is a simple,
unassuming album of beautifully crafted tunes.
Eddie doesn't get half the recognition she deserves. She doesn't have hits, struggles
to get record deals but always comes up with the goods. She has a small but loyal
following and by all accounts is highly regarded in the British music community, all a
good recipe for low sales I would say.
This is how Time Out magazine reviewed the album.
"Low-key and tender, 'Simple Soul' is almost homeopathic in its understatement. A
million miles from the production values of 'Perfect'(the number one hit reader
enjoyed with fairground Attraction) the new songs,nevertheless retain that discs
emotional clarity.
Reader writes tunes that are honest, quietly poetic and possess lovely, simple hooks.
'Lucky Penny' effortlessly evokes a talismanic faith. 'The Wanting Kind' speaks of
deeper needs. Restless searching informs many of the tracks.
With the exception of her distinctive version of Jackson C Frank's classic 'Blues Run
The Game' all the material is original., often written in collabaration with with Boo
Hewerdine, who adds his guitar and vocals.
As a recoding stylist Reader can be a bit of a chameleon. There are references in
'Simple Soul'to the Beach Boys (the bubbling accompaniment to 'Wolves' mirroring
'Don't Go Near The Water')and Johnny Cash (the beautiful percussive guitar of
'Footseps Fall' echoing the Spanish-tinged 'Ring of Fire'. Yet she assimilates these
fleeting passages with great care, absorbing them into what may well be her strongest
performances to date."
John Crosby - Time Out. March 2001
Kevin
