Right from the first time I heard this back in the summer it has been the one to beat. Nobody did.
It's a stunning album from a lady with a stunning voice and songwriting skills to match.
Expertly produced by Oscar De Jong of Kraak & Smaak it has a multitude of splendid musicians who bring the music to life.
Album number 3 from Izo it cemented her as a classic soul artist. Topped of by an appearance on Later With Jools, 2023 was a great year for her - just got to convince her down to Acapela Studios now for a live show!!
Out at the beginning of the year is 30 minutes of loveliness from Richard Olsen. Previously of the band The See See and currently with The Hanging Stars he conceived and wrote a gorgeous album during Lockdown and recorded it in 2022 for release this year.
Now, I would write my usual track by track review but when a journalist of the quality of the lovely Sean Hannam sits down with the man and discusses the album then I'm just going to hand over the reigns to him, A journalist of quality and distinction and more importantly, integrity, he is one who's opinions I seek out and trust. Sometimes our tastes are identical - sometimes not. In this case I think we are both singing off the same Hymn Sheet, so over to you Sean & Richard. Tell the punters all about this album on your splendid Blog - Say It With Garage Flowers. Dive in People!
One thing I have always loved since I was a kid was a story song.
This young lady, Hannah Rose Platt, is an absolute Master of them.
Very much in the Country/Americana/Singer-Songwriter camps she has now weaved her delicate way through three exquisite long playing records of which this is number 3. And it's the best work she's done. So far! In a very wise move indeed she enlisted fellow singer songwriter, Ed Harcourt to take the productions reigns and for his instrumental prowess which features throughout the album.
I've been lucky enough to meet her and see her live and her broad Liverpudlian brogue will light up any room she enters. Diminutive in stature and often voice, she will seduce you into submission on this record as she has in her previous two albums, Portraits (2015) and Letters Under Floorboards (2019).
But believe me, Deathbed Confessions is an absolute killer - if you'll excuse the pun. It's full of dark, gothic themes and visuals. Imagine Tim Burton recording an album with the voice of an angel and you'll probably be in the correct ball park, or cemetery!
The album open with the chugging of a train and we're into Track 1 - Dead Man On The G Train.
Full of electrics and atmosphere it bowls along at a pace. A fabulous start.
'Doesn't see me pull a pistol out of my left thigh.'
Dead Man On A G Train
Track 2 - Heddy Lamar is a beautiful and graceful song in the shape of waltz.
It's based around an acoustic guitar and piano motif with Hannah's gentle voice.
'I'll edit these frames and the shame into scenes I can bear'
Heddy Lamar live at Wolf Cabin
Track 3 - House For Wayward Dolls is an unsettling and almost childlike song. With lots of sound coming in and out of your speakers and it brings to mind the title sequence of the old ITV show, Tales Of The Unexpected.
Indeed, the album is very cinematic and the songs easily conjure images into your head and credit here must go to Hannah and Ed for creating such a soundscape for the songs to work their magic.
'A Barbie to my left with a cut across her throat'
Track 4 - The Mermaid & The Sailor includes a duet with said Mr Harcourt and is your classic Sailor meets Mermaid seduction story but with a twist which I'll let you discover for yourself.
'So abandon your ship, come take a dip, in the depths where it's oh so warm'
The Mermaid & The Sailor
Track 5 - Wendigo Rag - a discordant and surreal stomp with some heavy bass lead and pub piano looseness with Hannah in severely spooky mood.
'Her face becomes a Jackson Pollock canvas of blood'
Track 6- Inventing The Stars (interlude) is the beautiful short interlude featuring the Budapest Cinematic Orchestra just to reinforce the point that you are listening to something conceived in as much of a visual (of the mind) experience as an aural one.
Track 7 - The Kissing Room is a beautiful (once again) cinematic ballad, piano based, it tells the story of two lovers in Grand Central Station as they meet in the Kissing Room - a real place. Look it up!! It's romantic and sweet but acknowledging the album it's in is also spooky and a little unsettling
'Sounds of bullets and hearts breaking In my ears as I roam Round the shoeshine boy still sleeping Near a booth of telephones'
Track 8 - The Gentleman gives some light in the darkness and some hope in the despair and it's the brightest track on the album with it's rolling piano motif, it's just what is needed and comes at exactly the right time. Splendid editing and sequencing.
'Strolls the streets with sincerity Looking for new souls in need Orchestrating harmony A quiet conductor of good deeds'
The Gentleman
Track 9 - Tango With Your Fear opens with some silky upright bass with it's dynamic Tango beat it dances it's way across the grooves while Hannah's voice hits number 10 in seductiveometer as she whispers and caresses your ears into submission.
'You're the one who leads'
Track 10 - Feeding Time For Monsters is probably the signature tune for the record and sums up everything that has gone before. A gorgeous slice of gothic Americana with dissonant guitar counterpointing Hannah's delicious dreamy vocals.
'The broken necks of 'could-have-been's' Swinging, dangling, from the beams Like the truth'
Feeding Times For Monsters
Track 11 - Dead Man's Reprise takes us back to track one for some spooky expansions on themes from that track.
Track 12 - For The Living, For The Lost - another piano led ballad brings some light into the record in an almost dark Brian Wilson phrasing from the Surf's Up album era and with some beautiful Lester Brown trumpet work it's the most unexpected but gorgeous moment of the whole record for me.
'Devils dressed as guards along the platform Angels holding paper cups for change Carriage full of faces so familiar Watching as you take your place'
Deathbed Confessions Interview - Part 1
Track 13 - Inventing The Stars is a 4 minute orchestral piece featuring the Budapest Cinematic Orchestra yet again, And it's just like watching the credits roll in your head. And it's a beautiful way of closing a gorgeous album.
A huge step forward for Hannah. And a glorious listening experience for the listener.
I've been waiting SO long to see Johnny Hates Jazz live. They created one of my All Time Favourite Albums(TM) and one of The Best Albums Of The 80s with Turn Back The Clock in 1988.
And if I can just apologise right now for the fact that I didn't get the name of the musicians that accompanied Clark & Mike on the night but you Musician fellas will insist on shouting out the names which I can't understand. Anyway - it was an excellent band and gave the music depth and dynamism.
Johnny Hates Jazz don't have a huge canon of Music but what they have is glorious.
With Clark leaving the group of Himself, Mike Nocito and Calvin Hayes back in 1988 their second album Tall Stories featured singer songwriter producer Phil Thornalley instead. Look out for Clark interviewing Phil on his Journey Song version of Greater Good later in the blog.
Johnny Hates Jazz
Turn Back The Clock (1988) Tall Stories (1991) Magnetized (2013) Wide Awake (2020)
And to celebrate it's 30th anniversary in 2018, Clark & Mike recorded and released a beautiful acoustic version of Turn Back The Clock. Seek it out.
The Last To Know - from Tall Stories
Clark Datchler
Raindance (1990) Medicine Wheel (1992) Fishing For Souls (1992) Tomorrow (2007)
Journey Songs Vol 1 (2022) Journey Songs (2023)
Clark Datchler - Crown Of Thorns
Clark then went on to produce several albums in the 1990s and 2000s which he is now currently revisiting in his Journey Songs releases. These releases went on to prove that Clark was still a man who could write and make some fabulous music. Part 1 is out already Part Two is taking orders on the Johnny Hates Jazz website - link at the end of the review. He has also recorded videos to accompany these songs which you can find on Youtube,
Journey Songs 2 Trailer - set for release in November 2023
On the night The Band concentrated on the three albums with Clark, Turn Back The Clock, Magnetized and Wide Awake. With Mike taking a back of house position on stage with his bass, it left Clark to work his front man onstage magic to wow the crowd. And wow he certainly did. With a ton of professionalism he proved he still had the voice and the musical chops to cut it here in 2023.
The band kicked off with the title track from the Magnetized album and straight away the audience knew they were in safe hands for the evening.
Magnetized
Greater good came next and showed there was so much more to this band than just the Turn Back The Clock album. But it was good to see there were other die hard fans in the crowd that knew the words to these songs from the other albums.
Greater Good - Journey Songs Version with Phil Thornalley
But obviously the biggest cheers came when the band played any song from Turn Back The Clock, which they skilfully sprinkled like magic dust throughout the set. First of these was the uptempo Don't Say It's Love
Don't Say It's Love
New Day Ahead from Wide Awake quickly followed before we have another jewel from the Turn Back The Clock album in the shape of the gorgeous Different Seasons. In my opinion, many of that albums best songs weren't released as singles back in 1998.
Different Seasons
The band did have a couple surprise tucked up their sleeve for Part 1 of the show- the first was a splendid version of the Earth Wind & Fire classic, September, which was just fabulous. A great singalong moment from the crowd who upstairs were up and dancing in their seats
September
Following the exuberance we the band headed once again to the Wide Awake album for the AHA-esque No Mistakes, I can definitely hear Morton singing this and think that it WAS a A HA song.
The end of Part 1 was another highlight as Clark introduced Lottie Law to the stage, who the band had been working with for their time with the 80s Classical Orchestra album. Another excellent release worth a purchase.
Turn Back The Clock
Obviously, the crowd went wild for this one and everyone headed for the bar and the merch stand well happy.
Part 2 kicked off with another title track - this time from the Wide Awake album. another uptempo opener.
Wide Awake
ANother of those Turn Back The Clock classics comes next as the band launched into the hit, I Don't Want To Be A Hero.
I Don't Want To Be A Hero
The lovely Ghost Of Love from Magnetized slows the pace which really should have been a killer single back in the day. How Clark never settled or found his way to Nashville, I'll never know. Perhaps he had a 'Sliding Doors' moment. If I ever meet him, I'll ask him.
Ghost Of Love
Magnetized also gives us the next track, Man With No Name.
With only 4 songs left to go we are taken back to the Turn Back the clock album for the huge hit single Heart Of Gold before my favourite Johnny Hates Jazz song, Me And My Foolish Heart hits my ears, I was worried they wouldn't play it as it came so late in the set. I've included the gorgeous Acoustic version here in the blog for you to hear it.
Me & My Foolish Heart (Acoustic)
Again, we go all A Ha-esque for the penultimate track in the set, Lighthouse from the Magnetized album. It's keyboard and guitar riffs really remind me of A HA. I can see why Clark ended up writing with Mike Rutherford for several Mike & The Mechanics songs.
Lighthouse
The final track was ALWAYS going to be the band's greatest hit - the mighty Shattered Dreams, which went down a storm tonight and was the end to a really perfect night of 80s nostalgia.
Short of playing the Turn Back The Clock album in it's entirety, I don't see how the band could have done any better.
Shattered Dreams
But, I hope Clark noticed how fantastic the sound quality was and what a lovely baby grand piano Acapela Studios have. SO if he ever fancies an evening of Journey Songs live in the future I hope he considers coming back to Wales. I'd love him back, that's for sure.
I can remember the
first time I heard Dignity on the radio way back in 1988. There was nothing
else like it around on the radio. It had a passion and a not so expertly hidden
political theme rarely heard on radio friendly singles back in those days. And I’ve
been a major fan ever since.
I was there at their
Welsh gig at Cardiff Uni in 1988 and I have been to every gig in South Wales
ever since.
Deacon Blue live hold a special place in my heart as it was the first gig I took my wife to in Newport Centre for the Over The Land Over The City Tour - what I call The Red Curtain Tour - in support of When The World Knows Your Name. It's a night I will never forget, just to see the look on her face as she experienced the joy of live music for the first time - and what a show to start with. Unfortunately she has developed Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and her condition is now that she can't attend gigs any more but she still remembers that first show - even though she saw many more following that day,
They returned to the
newly named Utilita Arena Cardiff, previously The Motorpoint Arena and still
known to locals as Cardiff International Arena or the CIA. It’s a testament to
the band’s loyal fanbase all these years later that they can still fill arenas.
A long way from Cardiff Uni or Newport Centre a couple of years later. The
Cardiff audience came out in full, filled the hall and turned it into a night
of celebration for one of the best bands the UK has ever produced.
With only a couple of
changes over the years – on Bass we now have Lewis Gordon and following
original guitarist Graeme Kelling’s death from cancer in 2004, Gregor Philp on
Guitar, joining original members Dougie Vipond on Drums, James Prime on
Keyboards, Lorraine McIntosh on Vocals & Guitar and main man and chief
songwriter Ricky Ross on Vocals & Piano.
The tour this year is
called the All The Old 45’s Tour referring to an evening based on the singles
releases by the band since conception. Which includes a career spanning retrospective
13 disc boxset called You Can Have It All as well as the Double Album of All
The Old 45s. It made for a great night of singles heaven. And what a night it was!!
In a decision of
total genius, the band decided to support themselves in the form of an 7 song acoustic
set which really showed the beauty of the chosen songs as they were stripped back to their
core. The upright double bass on the stage was a good sign of what was to come. The problem would be, what songs to play.
The band took to the
stage and all stood around the microphone and delivered an acapella version of a
part of Queen Of The New Year. A spine tingling opening.
With all of the band seated across the stage, Ricky dedicated the next song to all of the Sharons in the audience, so we knew what was coming next as they launched in S.H.A.R.O.N. from Ooh Las Vegas.
S.H.A.R.O.N.
Looking totally at ease in this setting, we could have been sitting in the band's living room enjoying a jam or watching them in an alternate reality Grand Ol Opry
A stunning version of Chocolate Girl came next with the audience singing along already. Alan still doesn't understand her, all these years later!
From an old song to a relatively new song - the band turned to 2016 album Believers for the gentle Delivery Man with it's almost military beat by Dougie and backing vocals from the always beautiful Lorraine.
Delivery Man
And talking of Lorraine - she takes lead vocals in the next song - Cover From The Sky from 1991's Fellow Hoodlums album. It's a lovely Country tinged number and Lorraine took her chance to shine as she channelled her inner Dolly Parton & Emmylou Harris. She got one of the biggest cheers of the night!!
Cover From The Sky
Another Newish song came next with In Our Room from the City Of Love album.
In Our Room
Another huge cheer from the crowd went up as they recognised the intro from the next song - the sublime and probably Deacon Blue's best cover, I'll Never Fall In Love Again - complete with a cheering crowd every time Lorraine started singing. God, they LOVE this woman.
I'll Never Fall In Love Again
The final some of this acoustic session was the title track from the bands 2001 comeback album Homesick. Bloody awful cover - but a fine album!! With the applause ringing in their ears the band left the stage and promised an up-tempo Part 2. And that's exactly what we got!!
PART 2 WAS A REAL EPIC PERFORMANCE
With nearly 40 years of singles to choose from, it must have been quite some task just to pick the setlists for the tour.
On their return to the stage Ricky immediately ordered the crowd to their feet and they stood singing and dancing for the rest of the show.
Yes Cardiff, you did us proud!!
They opened part 2 with The Hipsters and the wild abandon started.
The Hipsters
One of the band's lesser known songs comes next in the shape of Only Tender Love from 1993's Whatever You Say, Say Nothing album. This gave Gregor and Lewis a chance to show their musical chops.
There are certain songs in the Deacon Blue repertoire that just ignite the audience and by god the fireworks flew for the next song as the crowd sang their hearts out and danced as if it was 1989 again.
The mighty Wages Day.
Wages Day
The band proved they still have the energy to move around the stage with aplomb and get the audience to that high that you just knew was going to come.
The first of the two Bethlehem songs came next as the band and the crowd sang that mighty chorus that is Bethlehem Begins from 2014's A New House album.
Bethlehem Begins
Back in 1991 I remember the third Deacon Blue album, Fellow Hoodlums signalling a change in direction with a few slower songs, it just felt less anthemic but it contains some of the bands best songs and we were treated to two of them next as the band slowed the pace with Your Swaying Arms.
Your Swaying Arms
After the short slow down in pace the opening guitar arpeggios of the next song had the crowd bouncing from note one with the arrival of Twist & Shout.
Twist & Shout
As I stated earlier there are certain Deacon Blue songs that really light the touch paper for the fans and next up we had another of those monumental tracks.
The first album, Raintown, was an instant classic and produced several huge songs - and next up in the evening was Loaded. The fans went wild, as expected! I've included the epic live version to try and give you a taste of the response the song gets when played live. and yes, the lights shone on the Cardiff crowd singing their hearts out.
Loaded
Rick takes to the piano several times during the show and next up was a special version of the second Bethlehem song, Bethlehem's Gate, especially for one of Ricky's Welsh Twitter followers - no it wasn't me!
City Of Love comes next followed by another 'Touch Paper' - possibly Deacon Blue's most popular song - from Raintown again - the anthem that is Real Gone Kid. If anyone in the audience had any inhibitions left they were certainly cast aside for this track. The crowd almost took the Arena roof off they were singing so loud and hard!! With it's band build up to the ending and the volume raised to 11 it was the highlight of the night once again.
Real Gone Kid
How the Hell do you follow that - well they weren't letting the crowd off the hook in the singing stakes and they did it with a more recent 'Touch Paper' song - The Believers. A truly brilliant double header.
The Believers
An exhausted crowd needed some respite and it came in the form of those twinkling piano notes from James Prime as the band slipped into a beautiful version of Raintown, I have to say here that that whoever designed the stage show did a brilliant job with the lighting and the screen, right now showing rain and lightning but throughout the evening showing old band photos and Graeme & Ewen too.
The Show comes to an end with another recentish up-tempo killer - That's What We Can Do. Just showing the guys can still write a classic DB anthem if they really want to.
That's What we Can Do
The band leave the stage but you know there's going to be an encore. And Deacon Blue encores are always a bit special.
It opened with a new song, the plaintive - Peace Will Come.
And after this the audience is ready once again for an anthem - and by God they got one as the band morph the song into the final two 'Touch Paper' songs. First comes the classic Dignity.
Dignity
OK - one more anthem as Ricky asks the crowd 'can this white man sing the blues?'
It was of course, Fergus Sings The Blues.
Fergus Sings The Blues
The crowd was now all sung out, emotionally shattered and absolutely euphoric. But the band had one more surprise - the unsung hero darling of American West Coast Rock Warren Zevon's song Keep Me In Your Heart
Forgive me for including a fan shot video of this but it captures the spirit of the song as MOST of the band get to sing some lines. Even Dougie.
Well, an Epic Blog for an Epic Show. Deacon Blue are the band I've seen the most and they were as good tonight as they were back when I first saw them. This Tour was in conjunction with an equally epic 13 disc career retrospective called You Can Have It All. It's really a career to be proud of and with Xmas coming you could do a lot worse than asking Santa for a copy - or if Santa is a bit skint this year, the double album All The Old 45s should cover all of the essential bases.
The voices of McIntosh and Ross are entirely undimmed by the passage of time, or indeed the two-hour-plus set tonight. There’s a four song encore, with a couple of the band’s most well-known songs, a roof-raising run through ‘Dignity’ of course, and ‘Fergus Sings The Blues’ sandwiched between a couple of slower songs: the affecting ballad ‘Peace Will Come’ and the eventual closer, a cover of Warren Zevon’s equally poignant ‘Keep Me In Your Heart’, with Ross joking that “This is the moment when the party’s really finished, but there’s one old Scottish guy sitting in the kitchen boring the hell out of you!” The band take turns singing lines from the song and it’s a beautifully hopeful way to send the very appreciative Birmingham crowd home.
