ALBUM REVIEWS
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ALBUM REVIEWS |
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Paul Heaton
ACID COUNTRY PROPER RECORDS 13.09.10 @www.vanguard-online.co.uk
Following 2008’s ‘The Cross Eyed Rambler’ Paul Heaton is now on the 15th album into his recording career. The title of this new album has a double meaning. It tries to loosely describe the genre of music Heaton is producing – sweet sounding Country tinged pop fronted by an acerbic, dour Northern bloke. But it’s also a comment on the conflicting feelings that living in the UK can engender. His songs have always blended polar opposites of optimism and pessimism - appreciating the warmth and humility of the country’s people while at the same time being appalled at some aspects of living in the UK. First single ‘Ladder’s Bottom Rung’ for example is an uplifting tale of the resilience of people who are at the lower end of the society’s pecking order. Throughout his career he’s always offered opinions about how drinking affects our lives. He uses evocative phrases like ‘Barroom hopes and liquid dreams’ and the pub has always held a special place in his heart. Indeed he previewed tracks from this album in May this year on his intimate ‘Pedals and Beer Pumps Tour’ where he cycled to local pub venues across the country, clocking up around 1000 miles en route. He’s now left behind the days of arena tours, and seems content with a more sedate pace of life. Of course that contentment still has a spiky underbelly of bitterness with Heaton having a degree of righteous indignation about almost anything and everything – first track ‘The Old Radio’ documents our love/hate relationships with the USA while ‘Young Man’s Game’ is a contemplative lament about growing old ungracefully. ‘Welcome to the South’ is a caustic commentary on the social injustices and bigotry that are fuelled by the country’s North/South divide (revisiting those similar themed Beautiful South T-shirts that were quite popular for a time back in the day). Despite this ire he manages to express his frustrations with an insightful lyrical wit like an experienced and eloquent storyteller. Now entering his twilight years it seems that Paul Heaton status as a National treasure is assured. www.paulheatonmusic.co.uk |
