Labels: Tiger Style Records
Review by: Andy Malcolm
I don’t know what to write for this review. I like the music and everything, it’s just difficult to know what to say. They have some fella from June of 44, and sound very nice. Is that enough? No. Ok.
The Letter E are playing long, beautiful instrumental arrangements in the style of another great instro band, Paul Newman. This record kicks of with the lush “Alushta”. Weird, I decided to call this track ‘lush’ before checking the song title. Is it bad writing to call a song named “Alushta” lush? Probably. I don’t particularly care though, I only got a C in GCSE English, my teacher (Cenn [actual name: Colin] Denn) was very strange. He should never have removed his beard. Anyway, this song is in the style of all the other songs on here. Slowish paced without inducing coma, guitar that merrily winds it’s way a long, occasionally picking up pace. It lasts over 7 minutes. I think here is the key. Let me test you:
* do you like songs that last over 7 minutes?
* do you like instrumentals?
if you answered no to either of those questions, do not buy this cd. If you answwered yes to both, then go ahead, make the purchase.
Other times on this CD which make me smile a lot: the intro to “Better Days”. Perfect start, jangly guitars, a harmonica hiding in the background, music carefully building up the layers of complexity, the drums almost anonymously sidling on in when you least expected it… so much more going on than you initially supposed. Couple that with songs like “Mary Behtyarli” which is the very definition of music that feels warm, and you have the makings of an album that was made to be played at this time of year. Nice.
Oh. Guess I did have something to say abou tthis CD after all. This is good. If you like instrumentals. I do.