BROOKS WILLIAMS & AARON CATLOW
Working in Wood
Beware this album for these me will steal your time and cost you deep in the purse if our experience is anything to go by. Let us explain. Having played the album in good company, the immediate request was to play it again and after that, a significant part of the evening was spent exploring the duo on YouTube and, having seen the celebratory spirit lifting nature of their performances which is replicated on the album, tickets were booked for their current tour when they visit our region.
For information, this is the fourth album featuring the duo and the guitar of Williams and the fiddle of Catlow are augmented by the double bass of Jon Short. Referring back to earlier comments, the recordings were made live in the studio and do indeed capture the energy of their audience facing performances – this is an album that bursts from the speakers with a sense of immediacy that is irresistible.
The guitar work of Brooks and Aaron’s fiddle offer melody, harmony and no small amount of groove, highlighting or blending as the material demands. There are their takes on the work of others, the opener, “Whatcha Gonna Do About It” features some fabulous slide guitar and the following Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy’s “Sleeping With The Dogs” carries on the feel in a vocal sense, with the story of a night that ends way later than it should have. There are their own originals, Speaking of tales well told, “Tornado Smith” introduces us to the UK’s first Wall of Death rider, whilst the instrumental “Hendrix The Cat” refers to a feline by the seaside rather than an instrumentalist of repute but features fine interplay between all three musicians, before “Deep River Blues” highlights the voices as much as their playing. An album so full of highlights, it could be argued that they cease to stand out, we could wax lyrical about each of the tracks so, our advice to you is too pull up your rocking chair on your porch pour yourself affair measure of whiskey (obviously Bourbon) and lose yourself in a fine fine album. However many stars are available – that’s how many it gets!
Buy the CD from Brook's website
Working in Wood