WHAT'S NEW???
The inaugural Calder Place belated mid year Christmas Party in August 2005 was a terrific success. Held in Brynn and Kate's Car Portium (thanks Brynn and Kate) with The Brynnmeister aka Captain Cocktail mixing splendours in the glass, and fab dishes from all around the world displaying the Calder Place epicurean vision, we enjoyed the Winter Christmas spirit around two half drums of roaring fire. Special guests were Ron and Diana Cody aka The Bishop of North Durras and Missus. The Bishop has recently returned from one of his regular soul aligning trips into the interior where he stretched the legs of his Merc 4 wheel drive. He and Diana are headed for the great concert halls of Europe soon. We wish them well.
Ian, Scott and Dr Rob at Christmas in August. The Chaps. A study in unbridled blokeyness.
More photos at the WEBSHOTS site.
My
youngest bro
Anthony McGloin has released his Cd "Nightflight" where the maestro guitarist explores his inner and outer vision with his compositions. My review follows. Check out his website at http://www.anthonymcgloin.com
Here it
is. Brother Tony's (aka Anthony) long promised CD aptly entitled "Night
flight" and available through his website
or gigs, where I'm reliably informed he will be pleased to incribe whatever
takes your fancy.
"Hey
Baz, you've been known to string a few words together, you could review it if
you like..... it's in the post."
I
must admit that I was a little ambivalent about the prospect - I haven't
heard Tony play for some time and likely our musical tastes had diverged. Also,
the musical product ie. the wee disc into which so much thought and effort,
future has been so carefully placed, can be affected by so many factors, for
example, choice of tunes, production, arrangements, quality of sound, quality of
instruments, technological gremlins heard as low flying flatulence etc, which
may result in one's appreciation being dented, if not to say, bingled beyond
redemption.
He
informed me that an Abba track was included, followed by "If I Were A
Richman" and coming from my roots preference perspective (as exemplified by my
roots programme on Valley FM
), I was somewhat apprehensive.
This CD is quite honestly well worth the price, whatever that is? You know, the young bloke plucks like the little plucker he is, matter of fact he's a better plucker than I gave him credit for. Mate, he can pluck more notes than Kerry Packer on life support. Blood oath. Styles? He mixes more styles than you can poke a stick at, and then some.......I seriously started thinking of him as Anthony after I'd heard it. It's like our sis Colleen going for the doctorship - mate, we used to call her Coll and tell her jokes, like the one about men finding women in leather underwear attractive because the aroma remind them of a new ute.......now we send them to the Doctor by e-mail, same response but.......
Times
change and people do without you realising it, become more skilful, sensitive,
start investigating themselves, and others, a whole new world inside, with
it's own splendour, depth and surprises. People can shock you. One minute
they're Tony, next they're Anthony, or Doc. Same face, somehow different
bloke.....different perspective, a shift to the left, a two step was once a
stroll, now a shift to the right and Blind Willie shimmies to shades of Django,
a dash of Segovia, was slack string open and loose, now tight and pointed, defined,
with a grin on the gee-tar and an incisive quirk in the observation.
Yeah,
there's humour here, check out the "Silly Season", "Oh Dear" or the
bridge between "Money, Money Money" and "If I Were A Richman".
Tony's wry humour with the spontaneous laughter beneath, a sort of
contradiction in himself really, self depreciatory yet musically snobbish, self
contained yet vulnerable, a well honed appreciation of the ridiculous and
random, yet reaching for order and control. Life's a bugger, but it's bloody
well there and you've got to deal with it. Has it's moments but.....yeah,
and just when you think you've got it sussed, it'll turn around and bite
you on the bum.
His
personality imprints the music where similar discs of this genre can be
clinical, albeit well executed. This also is well executed, but there is space
for the listener's involvement. It's not all perfect which is just as well; it has grit and
thankfully it's not overly polished. The overall sound has an organic feel, with
a warmth and snap. The possibilities of Jim William's excellent instruments
are realised.
The use
of dynamics is good, and within the minimalist instrumentation, has attack and
subtlety. His control manifests in the use of medium, which is kept to acoustic
guitar, mandolin and double bass (played on 3 tracks by Peter Kohlhoff). Like a
painter sticking with water colours to keep his artistic vision uncluttered,
clear.
"
The
three self penned long pieces are also risky, "Ship In the Storm"
"Nightflight" and "Going Home". The listener may not see what the
composer intends. On the other hand the imagination of the listener may provide
more. What is a canvass painted white? It may mean nothing whatsoever to some;
to others - nirvana, or the snow which covers a Crimean battlefield, or the
white of an eye. Some of Bob Dylan's throwaway lines have been interpreted to
Bob's advantage, no doubt. Critic Greil Marcus recently released a book about
"Like A Rolling Stone". Hendrix's "scuse me while I kiss the sky" was
interpreted as "scuse me while I kiss this guy", much to Hendrix's
amusement who subsequently sang it the second way, for fun.
Regardless,
the music itself provides ample interest in it's movement, light and shade,
percussion, and soundscape. A musical canvas for the listener's imagination.
Loved the shifting plectrum percussive effects in
"Ship In the Storm". "Nightflight" is a rhythmic dervish with
elements of Irish, Middle Eastern and Led Zeporama - lovely production too
from Robbie Specognia, adding depth and colouration. "Going Home" was a
stunner for me, so evocative, standing in the hallway, recollections.......
Do
yourself a favour and buy this gem. Keep the lad alive and composing. Get your
copy signed sealed and delivered from www.anthonymcgloin.com