Tuesday 24 April 2012

Richard James - Baby Blue EP

EP review by KevW


There were two stages to the career of insane Welsh experimentalists Gorkys Zygotic Mynci. The first, beginning when they were still at school, was bonkers, multi-instrumental, round-the-bend brilliance that made you feel as though you'd stumbled upon a crazy psychedelic world where nothing was quite as it should be. As they grew older (and signed to a bigger label) things took a turn for the pastoral, with later albums being made up of delightful acoustic folk which still contained glimmers of their acid-fried past.

Founder member Richard James' debut solo album was a comfortable but likeable continuation along that path and his second, 'Pictures In The Morning', looks like seeing the sound toned down even more. But as he's proved countless times, James' soft vocals are wonderfully captivating and he's never had trouble penning songs of contemplative beauty to show them off. 'Baby Blue', for all its subtleties, demands your attention through its sheer loveliness. Backed by Nick Drake-style plucked guitar and mournful strings it shows he's lost none of his touch. This free EP also includes two similarly winsome acoustic outtakes from the album sessions that tread an equally magical path, as on the eight minute rambling journey of 'Triptych'. It's a joy to hear those enchanting tones again.



Richard James' website

Buy the album





For more news, reviews and downloads follow The Sound Of Confusion on Facebook or Twitter

soundofconfusion@hotmail.co.uk

No comments:

Post a Comment