Isle of Wight's roots 'n blues troubadour pays musical homage to poet and friend Blake Parker
7/10
What the world needs now is love, sweet love. And it also needs bourbon, blues and the occasional knees-up, which is precisely what this album conjures up in my head.
Jude Davison's previous exploits have included the adventurous Circo de Teatro, a sprawling celebration of circus, performance and escapism and the even lengthier Outskirts of Eden which I have previously described as Davison's Blood on the Tracks (here). I stand by those views - this man can clearly charm the birds from the trees. It's a shame he remains an underground entity - reviewing this a few months after its official release won;t help but, sod it, pull up a chair, pour a foamy one and indulge me.
Head Bone Gumbo is a collection of slightly-adapted poems from the hand and mind of the late Blake Parker, a close mate of Davison's (they worked on numerous artistic projects together) and a mercurial influence on this spicy concoction of blues, roots, rock and, well, gumbo. Rather than sound completely retro, I'm reminded of Jake Bugg's sense of urgency and deft lyricism when listening to the opening belter Top of the Hill while Seaside Steve springs to mind on Old Trombone, if not for the vocals (not 'growly' enough) more for the slide-guitar licks and mood.
Other highlights include the hillbilly romp How Long Baby, Baby How Long and the rockabilly strut of Moon Cycle. But for me, Ghetto Head, perhaps inspired by the Brussels graffiti on the sleeve, is the standout and reminds me of Thomas Dolby's cajun/bluegrass hybrid, Toad Lickers.
Although the emphasis of Head Bone Gumbo is shrouded in remembrance, only the plaintive, but pretty, You'll Wear a Red Hat tugs at the tear-ducts. But, it's still a great way to close an engaging album (his 20th!) that works a treat for the most part.
For information about Jude Davison's live appearances, go to Allgigs here or here on Jude's site
7/10
Jude Davison's previous exploits have included the adventurous Circo de Teatro, a sprawling celebration of circus, performance and escapism and the even lengthier Outskirts of Eden which I have previously described as Davison's Blood on the Tracks (here). I stand by those views - this man can clearly charm the birds from the trees. It's a shame he remains an underground entity - reviewing this a few months after its official release won;t help but, sod it, pull up a chair, pour a foamy one and indulge me.
Head Bone Gumbo is a collection of slightly-adapted poems from the hand and mind of the late Blake Parker, a close mate of Davison's (they worked on numerous artistic projects together) and a mercurial influence on this spicy concoction of blues, roots, rock and, well, gumbo. Rather than sound completely retro, I'm reminded of Jake Bugg's sense of urgency and deft lyricism when listening to the opening belter Top of the Hill while Seaside Steve springs to mind on Old Trombone, if not for the vocals (not 'growly' enough) more for the slide-guitar licks and mood.
Other highlights include the hillbilly romp How Long Baby, Baby How Long and the rockabilly strut of Moon Cycle. But for me, Ghetto Head, perhaps inspired by the Brussels graffiti on the sleeve, is the standout and reminds me of Thomas Dolby's cajun/bluegrass hybrid, Toad Lickers.
Although the emphasis of Head Bone Gumbo is shrouded in remembrance, only the plaintive, but pretty, You'll Wear a Red Hat tugs at the tear-ducts. But, it's still a great way to close an engaging album (his 20th!) that works a treat for the most part.
For information about Jude Davison's live appearances, go to Allgigs here or here on Jude's site