Ruarri Joseph:
Brother:
ACP Recording:
Out now
7/10
This man's last album was a treat - his textured baritone resonated
around an unforgettable tapestry of personable (and personal) songs that had
'year-end-album-list' stamped all over it.
Sadly, nothing came of Shoulder to
the Wheel which is a pity, although his cover of Rodriguez's super Rich Folks
Hoax has a timely ring to it now that the mercurial Mexican is finally getting
plaudits. And plaudits is something Joseph needs right now - with Brother, he
may just get them. Failing that, he'll keep the fans he's grown up with since
his heady and unsuccessful tenure with Atlantic Records many years ago.
For
that prime piece of Ruarri Joseph baritone, indulge yourself in the first few
songs. Roses and Ashes faces death head on, the more upbeat and stately Til The Luck Runs Dry is probably a hit-single in another world and the mid-paced Got My Share is all confused stay-up-all-night-stay-the-night tribulations to the
max. And it's got a middle-eight - no bugger does those any more it seems, a
shame.
Invariably, some songs let the side down and most are in the crucial
middle section of the album so we'll scurry off to the perkier No More Sins which reminds me of another understated songwriter, Jude Davidson. And
all hail the super title-track which wouldn't sound amiss on a Neil Diamond
album, a fitting comparable for a few other songs on this mostly rewarding
album. It would be justice to see Ruarri Joseph nominated for a music award at
some point - how about it, Mercury?