More of them, more albums, the never ending challenge of them all, Neighbours Burning Neighbours at last and how good is that Lewis Taylor version of Heart Of The Sunrise? Yes! Bring it all on..

Neighbours Burning Neighbours – Burning Neighbours (Subroutine Records) – Were we here before? Repeat please. That Neil Young song has been delighting us for half a year or more and hey, we haven’t checked the rest of the album out properly, almost got distracted by a pack of wolf things chasing a yak, that and were we here before? The noise of Cathasis is just that and well, another album from back in September and another case of better late than never. A safe space for chaos or something like that, it doesn’t really sound like chaos though, there is control here, order, bite though, lots of bite, maybe a touch of chaos?

I guess we’re somewhere near something you might lazily call post-punk. We’re told the tracks on Burning Neighbours are personal; mutual conversations and joint adventures that find their way into lyrics, it does kind of feel like that (do they have the same conversations on stage every time?). This does sound like a very personal album and yes most music is personal but this feels a little more so. Songs about discovering gender identity and the associated challenges, about navigating the “whirlwind of ADHD, both in oneself and in loved ones”,  songs that touch on protest, community and care, the celebration of  things found through friendship. The Dutch band have a healthy feel, a post-punk goodness, a bite or two, they feel positive, they feel rather good…   

Bandcamp / neighboursburningneighbours.com

Lewis Taylor – Pleasures Vol. 1 (Slow Reality) – A new Lewis Taylor album that opens with a very breezy sunny version of Summer Breeze released on a cold windy first Friday in December is a rather strange idea, but then Lewis Taylor has always been strangely good and this is a beautifully strange mix of covers to feature together on one album and of course we cut the chase and to the heart of the sunrise for that Yes cover! There’s always been some accomplished about Lewis and his soul, something a little extra, details that reward you without you quite know why – I don’t know why I’ve always liked Lewis Taylor’s music but I do and if this album of covers is your first taste then you really need to take the time to explore his back catalogue. That’s a mighty fine version of Mighty Real, a kind of stripped back simple version that just funks and we’ve already passed through versions of Night Fever and well… 

“Pleasures Vol. 1 is an album of covers highlighting Lewis Taylor’s unique interpretation of other people’s songs. The album goes from cool and funky to the wackier side of rock and makes for an “interesting” and fun-filled listening experience”. 

Here comes a soulful almost lounge-like version of the Python Lee Jackson classic Broken Dream, guess you’d call it smooth where the original is jagged, throaty and one of Rod Stewart’s finest moments and okay, we’ve got to cut past a fine version of Cherry Blossom and a sublimely mellow Rocket Man to get to the two Hendrix covers that a lazy person might say feel like Prince versions might feel, gloriously laid back Electric Ladyland, as good as any version Prince might have made, yes Lewis Taylor is that good. All Along the Watchtower isn’t really a Hendrix cover but you know Jimi took ownership of that Dylan song back there and it seems kind of obvious that this is a Soulful cover of the Hendrix version.  That take on Deep Purple’s already funky Highway Star is extra extra extra funky (yes Deep Purple had soul back there, they still do) and yes that cover of Zeppelin’s Black Dog does have a bit of Zappa about it, certainly, as Lewis put it himself, an “interesting” version, a speed-funk version? 

We had to cut to the chase though and he’s got that glorious opening to Heart of The Sunrise nailed! Yes! Yes he has! Is that a Melotron? This is a classic version of the Yes classic, he’s added his own soul, his own colour without ever messing with the beautiful thing too much, okay that little operatic bit there and that bit there is spectacularly brilliant, and here comes a sunny funky bit and there’s Lewis Taylor fingerprints all over it, respectful though, dream on… an obvious labour of love and here comes the sky-touching bit that sends as many shivers down the spine as the original does, brilliant version! Worth the admission price just for that… (sw)            

Bandcamp / Website / Linktree / Youtube