Posted: 12 March 2010 at 5:35pm | IP Logged

Grand!! 

Boiled, poached, scrambled, coddled...?

Posted: 13 March 2010 at 7:49am | IP Logged

None of those..... chocolate eggs for me !

Looking forward to Rob & Gareth's Cambridge gig tonight.

All being well, will see you tonight Jennie.

Zippy xx 

Posted: 15 March 2010 at 11:19pm | IP Logged

Rob and Gareth turned up in my post box today - in their slim, blue, CD-shaped incaration. After having wrestled off the powerful brand of packing tape and cardboard that they grow in Mersea Island, I gave them  a spin or two, and I must say I am mightily pleased!

In their own words, they seek to give as near to "live" as they can, and all credit to Banksy for producing an Album that brings them right into the living room, clear and natural, without frills and a great organic accoustic sound that does the instruments and vocals full justice. (Infact they also came into my kitchen, as I have just today put in exta speakers. The toilets, however, are still Rob & Gareth free...)

The songs are all masterpieces - a mixture of own compositions and covers, and every song stands well on its own merits, responding well to Rob & Gareths' vocal styles and well crafted but not overbearing harmonies. There is power in the lyrics that is challenging, liberating, inspiring. Upsidedown is cetainly a favourite - inspiring us to everyday radicalilism as we follow Jesus, whilst Bring em all in, as Gareth writes, expresses something of the breadth of God's heart.(but the beginning makes me think of Rawhide!) Do Justice is also a great treatment of a powefully simple bible verse that just about sums it all up. Infact they're all good; just maybe the slower Broken Things is going to take longer to  work on me. Larry Norman's Outlaw is a fitting conclusion; his penultimate line "And that's who I believe he was, cause that's who I believe," is one of his (many)best!

I could imagine giving this CD as a present to anyone who appreciates real accoustic music with integrity. And as regards its inherent message (of which trade justice is just one  important factor, (e.g. Money goes Round) - it is uncompomising, strong, with absolutely no cringe factor! If you don't know it yet, I'd certainly recommend you to "Try this at Home"!

I'm looking forward to Best Thing That's Happened arriving next (my first ever on-line card payment!) I hope they don't use quite such strong packing tape...

Rob and Gareth, best wishes for North of the border. Hope you had a good gig with Banksy and the "famous groupies" in Cambridge.

Seagull (you called it dancing; we called it harrassment!)

Posted: 16 March 2010 at 6:55pm | IP Logged

Hi Seagull, one of the famous groupies here ! 

Glad 'Try this at Home' arrived. I think you need to eat 3 Shredded Wheat to be able to open packing tape ! The CD is very good, I have played it so many times. I love Do Justice and Broken Things.

The Best Thing That's Happened is an excellent CD, you will love it. It's a bit more on the rocky side though compared with TTAT.

You should try Gareth's CD 'Water & Light', very good also.

The gig in Cambridge - The church lay out was really nice, and where at previous shows there was a big gap between Rob & Gareth ( a bit of a task for me to keep them both in view with my camcorder without it looking like there was a mile between them!) Pete filled in the gap nicely with his Tyros. The audience obviously enjoyed the show and Jennie was an eggspert for Bring em All In.

Rob & Gareth's voices go so well together. Pete sang on You with Rob and tinkled the ivorys for around 5 songs. The medley of the Monkees I'm a Believer and Love of the Common People was hilarious as the audience had to sing a part, which was awful but Rob said was beautiful. I wonder about his hearing now!!

Very enjoyable evening and was very nice to see Jennie & John again.

Richard took loads of photos which should be on his website for viewing this Friday (www.Radfoto.co.uk).

I have given Rob some of the DVD's of the shows so hopefully he will put some of it on Youtube for you to see, because I don't know how to !!

Rob, still can't log onto you website so you will have to post the review for me again, Ta.

This is Zippy, in London, reporting for Rob & Gareth, and still loving ATF 

PS: Seagull, I saw you once in Brighton, you swooped down and nicked a chip out of my bag of chips on the pier. I wasn't very happy with you !!! 

Posted: 16 March 2010 at 9:38pm | IP Logged

Glad that Cambridge went well for all. Good to hear your report, Zippy, and it wasn't me who nicked your chip - I used to live in Southend / Hull and the seagulls there are far more courteous!

Well, Rob & Gareth got the family dinner time treatment tonight (music to dine by) and everyone seemed to like it! My younger daughter thought that Bring em all in was a song about Noah (bring em all into my ark ... which almost made me want to go and change my forum signature!), whilst my older daughter, depite my telling her Gareth's name three times, informed me that Davey Jones had something to do with Pirates of the Carribean... (she obviously doesn't know the Monkees). All typical family confusion.

(Just had an interesting detour on Youtube with the Waterboys. Typed in Bring em all in, and up popped Rob & G first, but I moved on, and was soon enjoying Fisherman's Blues at the Albert Hall. This forum is a musical education.)

Posted: 16 March 2010 at 10:13pm | IP Logged

Hi Seagull and Zippy, and Maggie (good to hear from you), 

I've enjoyed reading your reviews.  Glad you're enjoying Try this... Seagull.  I gave it to my sister for her birthday, not really sure what kind of music she likes actually, apart from the Yetties!!  She likes it: she says it's like poetry set to music. 

I second that Zippy, Gareth's Water and Light is another really great CD, and includes the wonderful Princess Victoria, which I was glad Gareth sang on Saturday. (This is not to diminish his live performance, but the CD includes a fabulous jig section in the middle of this song - hard to replicate when solo!)

We loved the gig on Saturday, it was excellent, great singing and playing by Rob, Gareth and Peter, and lots of humour.  The seating was cafe style and they had set it out at an angle, which worked well.  It was lovely to see them all, and you Zippy, Richard and Briony, and Paul and Sam.  I enjoyed being one of several eggshakers, time I came out of my shell?!

'You have chosen well', Maggie (or you would have!)  Shame you couldn't come.  We're hoping to coincide with SOH playing in Yorkshire when we go to visit relatives there in a few weeks ...

Jennie xx

PS Please do put some of the ATF you're watching on Youtube, Rob, if you have time!