All Over This Town - Nick Keir

Advantages: A variety of gorgeous songs, fine musicianship, sublime blend of voices
Disadvantages: Not to everyone's taste, one or two weaker tracks

...conventional protest sounds (and South African rhythms) of "Hawks and Eagles", this is the Macs showing a lot of a side that only emerges occasionally in their other work. Personally, I love it. :-) There is beauty here too, and love, and loss. Above all variety - although admittedly some songs work better than others. This album features what in my view is the golden McCalmans line-up of Ian McCalman, Nick Keir and Derek Moffatt. Which is not to undermine Stephen Quigg, who joined the band after Derek's death in 2001: Stephen is arguably an even better singer (and certainly a more confident one) than was Derek. But the blend of the three voices here is beyond anything that The McCalmans have achieved since Derek's death. In a cappella tracks such as "Sounding" it is positively sublime. 1. "Ah'm E Man At Muffed it." Words and music by Nancy... Read review

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Advantages: Folk rock at it's best, magical lyrics, soothing vocals and enchanting lullabies, a real treat for the ears
Disadvantages: None

...and just sprays magic dust all over this melodic work of art. The rhythm and pitch of the guitar strums intensify in and out of each other almost, Nick's emotions are flying high here and produce something truly wonderful. ' I saw it written and I saw it say, Pink Moon is on it's way. And none of you stand so tall, Pink Moon gonna get ye all. And it's a Pink Moon, yes, a Pink Moon.' 2. PLACE TO BE - 2:43 The acoustic guitar Nick must be using is superb every chord he plays is so deep and seems to reverberate around the song itself. Place to be seems to be about Nick describing his present condition and where he yearns to be. The repetition of the chords that finger pick up and down is top notch. The song itself seems to smother your mind, Nick wraps it with his own glary emotions and pulls it off suddenly leaving your mind spinning out... Read review

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Advantages: Bryter Layter is one of 3 of the best albums in the world. (also included are the other 2 of Nick Drakes albums)
Disadvantages: The one and only disadvantage is that Nick is not here today.

...The first time I heard Nick was on a free CD called "Under the influence" that a freind got with the NME, I didnt like the track i heard and I cant remember the name of it either(it may have been poor boy though), I think this was because of the nature of music that I was listening to at the time I heard it, music like Supergrass and Blur dont really fit in with the folk genre! After a while I came round to Nick Drake's style and consiquentialy started to adore his inflawable guitar playing talent and amazing lyric writing abillities, Bryter Layter was one of the last albums I got from the, short and yet outstandingly amazing, collection, and was well worth the wait, starting with the case design that looks like it should be in the tate modern, or in some jazzy cafe from the late 60's, all the way to the final note played... Read review

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