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Rock, folk, blues.

Years ago, The Waterboys emerged as a progressive rock-type band that had ideal folky elements in their repertoire. They mined new territory with skill & thrilling musical ideas. The only other band I could think of that was doing this was Strawbs. But after a few albums of this energetically intense music & playing, The Waterboys slid back into a more English traditional folk banquet of sound. And it still worked. They changed musical lanes slightly, but they maintained their highway speed.

Even though these “lost” tracks come from the “Fisherman Blues” era, many tracks have the lift of their earlier work. Many are originals, but there are also some colorful, surprising cover versions. 25 imaginative tales are woven into the fabric of the 3-CD set episodes on Atlantic Rain – The Lost Fisherman’s Blues Recordings – (Dropped July 17/Chrysalis Records/126 minutes). Produced by Scottish lead singer & composer Mike Scott (piano/electric piano/acoustic guitar).

The first set is “Atlantic Rain” (1986 & 1988), with 8 gripping tunes that begin with the original “Too Close To Heaven (soul version),” & “Come Back To Galway,” both with soaring sax & pristine arrangements. Even the traditional covers like Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land” (produced by Mike with John Dunford) are rendered with startling freshness, dressed up in mandolin & Irish dancehall beats. It’s no longer a worn-out folk song but an interpretation by way of a meaningful dance song injected with happiness.

Set 2 is “Indian Summer,” 10 tracks beginning with “I Can’t Feel At Home In This World Anymore” — a rollicking Salvation Army outside a wintry pub tune squeezed with furious high-temperature sax. A cover of Bob Dylan’s classic “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” is quite good with a heavy dose of mandolin, fiddle scratch & slow beat. Mike Scott rearranges the tune to his more Scottish folk-flavored vocal. The warm sax slithers around Scott’s whispery voice at the coda & is a superb finale.

A Jagger-Richards oldie, “No Expectations,” is smartly covered. Slow, sophisticated, sensitive & rendered with expertise by Mr. Scott. Some covers don’t always work but still are interesting attempts. “When Doves Cry” with the fiddle is solid, but it doesn’t come across as The Waterboys. Surprisingly, Scott’s raw voice in this is penetrating.

Though essentially a Willie Nelson song, “Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground” — a title typical of The Waterboys’ style has Mike Scott tastefully maneuvering the lyric through the Bob Johnston production. Though not exactly what Scott would have written about himself. Anthony lays down a warm, invigorating sax solo, something Willie didn’t do. If you’re going to cover a classic tune, put your signature on it. Mike did. The only flaw is the coda – should’ve just faded.

Back on track is a rocker, “Killing My Heart,” with the maniacal Hammond organ courtesy of Mr. Thistlewaite. Garth Hudson would have been proud. Pete McKinney’s drums keep it choogling. If you like a fiery fiddle attack as if John Hartford or Doug Kershaw were on the strings, “We Will Not Be Lovers (live take)” is the ticket. Produced by the legendary Bob Johnston (Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash), the song smokes like a 4-alarm fire. Drummer Dave Ruffy tries to pour water on the incendiary tune, but what can you do with just two sticks? I assume Steve has a burnt fiddle now.

Set 3 is “Fisherman’s Jam,” 7 cuts with superior playing & indulging instruments. Some black-coffee vocals by Mike Scott & soaring saxes by Anthony on “Mister Saxman,” almost as demonic as Van der Graaf Generator’s David Jackson on “Killer.” This is an aggressive track.

This is an exciting album. To think how these could’ve been filed away in a vault forever, eventually discarded. But they showed sophisticated promise. Mike Scott is an individualist; what he puts his voice to becomes the Waterboys. Remarkably, he can do this because not every artist can. Their style doesn’t suit. But he has alchemy & is almost like the late Scottish singer Jackie Leven who overdosed on creativity & output. He had so many musical ideas, so many songs, that he adopted a 2nd identity (Sir Vincent Lone) to enable additional albums.

Brave enough to tackle a Beatles classic, the “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” effort with a honking sax gives it a different tint from the original. It works equally well. Nothing novelistic, no corniness, no pop-intrusion. A solid, intense arrangement from a different sphere. It has punch & will tickle your Beatle fancy. There’s nothing Beatlesque about it, though. But it retains that Beatle magic in a different milieu. It’s quite an impressive jam.

Yes, there’s no “Whole of the Moon,” or “Church Not Made With Hands” here – but augmented among this work is the diversification, imagination & distinctive musical bravado of Mike Scott & his band. They have a bottomless well of developing ideas.

Tracks:
01. Too Close To Heaven (Soul Version)
02. Come Back To Galway
03. The Man With The Wind At His Heels
04. And Then The Gods
05. Light Shine On Me
06. Endless Store
07. This Land Is Your Land (Studio Version)
08. Saints And Angels (1988 Version)
09. I Can't Feel At Home In This World Anymore
10. Knockin' On Heaven's Door
11. Honky Tonkin'
12. No Expectations
13. When Doves Cry
14. Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground
15. Killing My Heart
16. Bob And Anto's Soundcheck
17. We Will Not Be Lovers (Live Take)
18. Lost Highway (Double Version)
19. The Good Ship Sirius  The Ship In Full Sail
20. Mister Saxman
21. The Waves
22. The Last Jam
23. Night Falls On Windmill Lane
24. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
25. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)

Staat er compleet op, 10% pars mee gepost. Met zeer veel dank aan de originele poster. Laat af en toe eens weten wat je van het album vindt. Altijd leuk, de mening van anderen. Oh ja, MP3 doe ik niet aan.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jn_lZ8Ky4bY