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17th March 2006

An album review from Cross Rhythms

So we got another album review and I think the reviewer has missed the point a little, as well as putting in lots of typos and neglecting to mention song titles. We do have eclectic tastes and the songs were made over a number of years so it would be more of a songwriting journey rather than a homogenous sound. However, radio and the media never gets anything that doesn't fit into their neat little categories. Still at least he didn't hate it.

Reviewed by John Baugh

A CD from a West Midlands-based band that's a bit like a airliner circling styles before landing on a guitar-based pop not dissimilar to Lloyd Cole. First track, king of groovy soul, second track, kind of MOR, third track brooding indie-blues, fourth, big rock, and so it goes on. Then finally some sort of equilibrium is reached with a straight guitar-based sound, although even then we get the odd twist with stings added here and there. The CD is a product of a number of years with a number of collaborators built around a core of songwriter Mark Winter, lead guitarist Warwick Gastinger and bass player/producer Steve Elliot. Now I'm all in favour of variety what with it being the spice of life but maybe things have gone too far here. There may be some good songs here yet the ability to locate them is blurred by the ever changing musical moods. Perhaps this is a case where less would be more.

www.crossrhythms.co.uk/products/The_Valuable_Fools/The_Valuable_Fools/16274/

All the best
Mark

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