Grand Union [CD]

Tovey was a one man band as fad gadget making quirky electronic music in the early 80s, occasionally making it onto MTV. In the late 80s/90s he made traditional music, real traditional. Like with aboriginal and country/acoustic instruments. The songs on here are excellent, with sharp songwriting. His writing got better after his earlier work. I heard this as a college DJ when it came out. He died about 2-3 years ago, remembered for electronica contributions more than this, a better period of work.

Included on the 2 CD/2 DVD set "Fad Gadget By Frank Tovey" is a short film on the inspiration behind the Grand Union album. Tovey explains in the film that, besides himself, many of the musicians and record company people with which he worked lived along the canal around London. He thus saw the Grand Union as a "metaphorical vehicle" for his song-writing. With bass player John Cutliffe and banjo/guitarist Paul Rodden tagging along, they drive by places referred to in songs on the album as well as Tovey's childhood homes. Touring one of the poorest areas of London, it is understandable how such scenes inspired labor-sided political and environmental observations in the lyrics. The little documentary probably encouraged many fans to seek out this fairly hard-to-find album. With excellent Irish musicians (the Pyros), the music is folk with a little bluegrass. Though some songs are not as good as others; as a whole, it will not disappoint although those expecting Fad Gadget experimental/electronic tracks like "Back To Nature" and "Ricky's Hand" might find it wanting or they might find something different to like.

"Bad Day In Bow Creek"--Probably the closest thing to "rock" on this album...folk rock anyway. Flying banjo attack and witty lyrics drive this song: "There were politicians calling for a clean up on the streets while poisoning the rivers up to their peaks / and here the river makes good paint stripper / bad day in Bow Creek." The documentary shows a little of Bow Creek, and it does look pretty bad.
"When The Victim Takes The Tyrant's Place"--Slower song. The musicianship is better than the vocals and lyrics on this one. Not bad, but not one of the better songs on the album.
"Passing Through"--Song about a child (probably a biographical song from Tovey) and friend trying to fish in the pollution filled canal and watching the railway cars. "Then excavations were started here one day / before I could spell 'envirament,' they'd build a motorway." Nice lyrics and a pounding, aggressive music track. One of the best songs here.
"Benthal Green Tube Disaster"--Tovey explained that, during a WWII Blitz, his grandfather was about to take his mother to an underground shelter for safety. During the blackout, she lost one of her new shoes, and in stopping to search for it, the family avoided the stairs where 173 were trampled to death by panic-stricken people trying to enter the shelter. This song tells the history of that disaster.
"Cities On The Plain"--One of the two stellar tracks on this album (the other being "Liberty Tree"). The track is about a traveling puppeteer who is accused and hanged for a crime he did not commit: "Because the crowd crave blood I can't let them down is someone pulling my leg again? / Now I twitch and dangle like a puppet in the cities of the plain." As clever as the lyrics are, the rhythm of the guitar makes this track stand out.

"Fallen Angel"--About London's Angel Tube Station shown in the documentary, this is one of my least favorite tracks. Musically, it is like old-fashion country. Not my thing. The ninety-year old station, incidentally, was re-built due to safety issues and re-opened in 1992.
"I.K.B. (R.I.P.)"--The initials stand for Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the famous, innovative British civil engineer and designer of the Great Western Railway. The lyrics are about a man and his companion meeting up with the ghost of Brunel at the Kensal Green Cemetery. The man wonders why Brunel died so young (well, he was 53--sadly, Tovey died eight years younger) and the ghost takes them back in time to his last days struggling to get the steamship Great Eastern on its maiden voyage. He died thinking it a failure. Can the contemporary man prove to him otherwise? Intelligent song with appropriate dark, mysterious music at the beginning turning to a bluegrass style. Lots of lyrics in this 7:30 track.
"Liberty Tree"--Excellent song. The intro with the delicate guitar that builds up with a drum beat and then rhythm guitar is one of the highlights. Great, musically and lyrically. Best track on the album.
"One November Morning"--This song is a bit much for me. The song is about a man escorting his daughter and his pregnant wife who is going into labor to the hospital but stopping and confronting two thugs who were beating up a young boy. Lyrically, too much emphasis was made on rhyming: "My son was born on the 26th of November / Of course that's a day I'll always remember." Musically, it builds up to emphasize certain sentences as if they are a major turn in the story even though they are not. I don't care much for this track.
"The Great Attractor"--Nice closing track though not as memorable as the others. It is a relaxing, kickback song.