PiaNOLA Live - Henry Butler

Advantages: Yes is brilliant
Disadvantages: a lot of poor songs

...The Sound of Mcalmont and Butler is a forgotten album, Butler following his depature from suede wrote som solo stuff but he also collaborated with a black soul artist called Mcalmont, who has avery good voice. Back in ’96 they produced a little gem called yews which charted reasonably and got featured on a lot of compilation albums. That song was the motivation ofor buying this album and unfortunately the quality is not replicated throughout. What’s the excuse this time is a good song bu nothing else lives up to the soulful standard of yes, shame.... Read review

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Advantages: Great guitars, high level of musicianship
Disadvantages: A little self indulgent

...’s too prog rock but more than that he’s too blokey and in a guitarhead kind of way. When you see him live, guitar nuts are there drooling over his techniques. Still, I like him and the new album, while still heavy on virtuoso guitar work is not as edgy as other ones and the envi-ronment is less to the fore: Butler is in love and happy, and as a result the songs are softer and the single “Funky tonight” shows a fun side of Butler. California-born Butler has lived in Oz nearly all his life and started off busking in Fremantle. His self-titled debut album is largely acoustic. Then came “Three”, a more electric offering, and then the phenomenal “Sunrise over sea” which went five times platinum in Oz and won him awards for best independent release, best blues and roots al-bum, best male artist and song of the year. This new album is his first... Read review

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Advantages: Clever, moving, melodic, brilliant, like nothing else
Disadvantages: Loves his guitar playing a little too much, bangs on about the Earth a lot

...This is one of my favourite albums ever and anyone who likes music should have a copy in their collection. Butler is a Californian who's lived in Australia all his life - I think he lives in Queensland and the song title refers to the view off his verandah. He plays a mix of rock, folk and blues, lifted far above the average by his technically accomplished guitar playing. Standout track is "Peaches and cream", written about his daughter but applicable to anyone who's found true love. It helped me thorough a difficult time in my life and the first time I saw him live and heard the whole crowd (all Ozzies - I saw him in London and there were no bar staff working that night!) - sing all the words, it sent a shiver down my spine. Lyrically, "Peaches" is about a man finding that his life is complete through love but its lyric - "For so long... Read review

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