Album review

The Broken Family Band - Cold Water Songs

Following the promise of last year's mini LP The King Will Build A Disco, TBFB's nefariously enchanted pot of country, weird pop and deconstructed folk remains a heady brew. With the Folk Orchestra's Timothy Victor at the controls, and Samantha (Be Good Tanyas) Parton guesting on "Devil In The Details", this carries the same strain of bastardised rural tradition as labelmates Candidate, a sexual twistedness akin to Lyndon Morgans' Songdog ("Don't Leave That Woman Unattended"; "Hitting Women") and wordplay reminiscent of Stephen Malkmus. Daubs of pedal-steel and banjo add allure. File somewhere between Pavement and the prairie.

Rating: 4 / 10


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An encounter with Van Morrison


Consider this the last in a short series of encounters with somewhat cantankerous sorts, following accounts in this space over the couple of weeks of meetings with Lou Reed and Gordon Lightfoot, both of which have stirred some passing interest and lively comment. Today’s subject is Van Morrison...