At least I’ve still got my tequila to take me away...

This one’s real quality!

About six months ago, I went to the Guild Hall in Gloucester (the only decent venue we currently have here) and saw a band called, … well, I won’t embarrass them here. Now I think I’ve already written about the paucity of decent music around my home town, and a few of the real stinkers I’ve been to see out of sheer desperation. Well, this was another one. These two middle-aged white guys playing “authentic” delta blues, were just dull… technically fine, but just … you know …colour-by-numbers. I’m sure you get the idea…

Adam Morley

What I’m fumbling around trying to say is that Adam Morley is really not like these guys. Try to clear your mind of all the well-meaning enthusiasts you’ve ever seen clear a pub back room on a Sunday afternoon, and give this feller a bit of a listen. I hope it’s not just me, but I can really hear a difference here.

Adam describes himself as sounding like a drunken Hawaiian down on his luck, which I rather like, but doesn’t really do him justice. He plays acoustic guitar but more intriguingly a Dobro, which is a steel guitar with an internal resonator to make it sound louder (as any fule no). Whatever it is, the man can play it!

The songs themselves are well put together too. The guitar work sounds to me like Leo Kotke, the songs like the Jack White performances on Cold Mountain or even the Holy Modal Rounders, and the vocals, well, a bit like Ronnie Lane or possibly Keith Richard.

He has a Myspace page, which is I’m afraid, where the links come from (so if they don’t appear to work, hang on for the Rapidshare compilation after Easter):

I also rather like the man’s whole attitude to his music. This, from his profile:

“I'll be the first to admit that my music needed some time to mature. Maybe it's because I've been so excited about so many different kinds of music and needed to calm down a little to let the influences settle. Now I'd like to make an album that I genuinely like myself. It's going to be about the things that make my life better, my wife, my friends and booze.“

Give these a listen, you’ll enjoy them!

Tomorrow

The Farm Farmageddon