Review: Alan Moorhouse Band CD

Subject: RE: Review: Alan Moorhouse Band CD
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 07 May 10 - 06:09 AM

refresh

Subject: RE: Review: Alan Moorhouse Band CD
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 05 May 10 - 08:44 AM

Alan, loved "Ain't got the blues". Haven't had time to listen to the rest yet, but I will.

RtS

Subject: RE: Review: Alan Moorhouse Band CD
From: alanabit
Date: 04 May 10 - 03:34 PM

Thanks Seamus. I just started listening to your "Sidekicks and Sagebrush" album, which is bringing back a whole lot of good memories for me too! I'll be back again when I have had time to hear it all.

Subject: Review: Alan Moorhouse Band CD
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 03 May 10 - 04:06 PM

I just got back from a long road trip during which I got to listen to the Alan Moorhouse Band CD 'Live in Lennep'. Several times...

Alan Moorhouse of course is Mudcat's very own Alanabit, based in Germany, and the album was recorded live in concert just over a year ago on April 24, 2009.

All songs but three were composed by Alan, and on those he collaborated with Robert Kniveton Taylor and Steven Lee Rich.

There is not a bad cut on this recording; some CDs have 'filler' songs, but not this one; every one is a beaut, from the Randy Newmanesque "Fat People In Love" which sounds as though it should be seriously non-PC, but which really isn't, to the delightfully folk-jazzy "Continental Flair.

On some songs such as the "Ballad of Sam Brown" or "O What A Life We Had", I felt as though Alan were channelling Ralph McTell or Eric Bogle, but it's all Alan. Wonderful songs.

And his band is tight and right on the money; with Sascha Loss taking some fine fiddle breaks, as well as on harp and electric guitar; Thomas Karner is a standout with some very tasty licks on mandolin, dobro and keyboards;
Gerhard Lewandowski on 6 & 12 string guitars, accordion and keyboards
John Thornber on bass, and Volker Neumann on drums.

Plus, all the backup musicians do backup vocals as well, making for excellent close harmonies. These guys have put a lot of work into their sound, and it shows.

The glue that holds it all together is Alan Moorhouse himself, a talented man as a songwriter, but a helluva singer who has put in the time singing on the streets, and can really sell a song. Great job, Alan.
You can check him out at www.myspace.com/alanmoorhousebandcousinjack.