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Track Listings
| 1. A1 Only Heaven Knows (2:45) |
| 2. A2 Cold Shoulder (3:08) |
| 3. A3 Walk On Water (3:12) |
| 4. A4 Friends & Strangers (3:37) |
| 5. A5 Shine A Light (3:46) |
Product Description
Review
1960s singer-songwriter Kevin Ayers sings 'Funny how the situation changes', at the start of The Unfairground, his first album for fifteen years. How true that appears to be, given the biographical facts surrounding this formerly psychedelic, and almost mythic, ex-Soft Machine operator. Running to seed, as the story goes, in the south of France, he gets re-discovered, hauled back to the UK and a batch of new songs - recorded on the hoof in a range of locations - is conjured around Ayers' wry, addictive, but ever so slightly broken, vocals.
And what a result! Although no Joy Of A Toy - Ayers' 1969 crazed, poetic, tour de force - The Unfairground is a compelling return, with songs covering the usual suspect narratives of girl lost/girl found, wrists nearly slit, ageing and having a good time disgracefully. His lyrics are, as hoped, top notch, going down memory lane on 'Only Heaven Knows', beseeching a lover to return on the exquisitely beguiling 'Baby Come Home', and on the album's centrepiece, 'Brainstorm', a claustrophobic, almost paranoid, lyric cries for the dream to live on, or!'a storm could just blow me away'.
Beside Ayers' undemonstrative, even flat, but always beguiling, delivery, the music arrangements are top notch throughout. A Spanish feel predominates from what sounds like a Mexican bass band and flamenco guitar, laid over a range of styles from whimsical guitar-based picking to country music, and to the discordantly bitter sweet, rather faded charms, of the British fairground.
The return of Kevin Ayers might not trigger a riot, but on this form its reason to get very excited indeed. --Charles De Ledesma
Find more music at the BBC This link will take you off Amazon in a new window
CD Description
Format : LP, 180 gram / Sleeve : Gatefold
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
26 of 27 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This new album from Kevin Ayers is simply wonderful. This is the first time I have been motivated to write an Amazon review. Yes I love this cd that much! It really is the sort of album that makes one remember why song and music is so important. From beginning to end it has incredible edge. A very shear edge of honest expression. It is not the edge Ayers gave us with his early albums when he was the darling of the underground. How could it be? Times change. Though Kevin Ayers is as authentic and as very convincing as he has ever been with his best work. Long ago he shrugged away the world of glamour and pop bubble reputation to live his own life. But what he has so clearly not left behind, as can be heard on this album, is his very apparent and extraordinary craft as a song writer. And it is this he uses to take stock of life with heart wrenching honesty. What we have here with The Unfairground is a collection of 10 sublime tracks with music so honed that every note expresses something true to the song it accompanies. Superb arrangements with at times strings that remind one of Forever Changes as on Friends and Strangers or the entreating horns on Baby Come Home that hint at the dry barren landscape of longing, the latter featuring vocal accompaniment from Bridget St. John. Only Heaven Knows has got to be one of the best album opening tracks ever. It's style echoes light hearted vaudeville yet asks "what do you do when it all behind you / every day something else reminds you / when the times were sweet......." At 35 minutes long you get the highs and lows, the joie de vivre to comfort fear and the stand up and fight of a life time.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
After a long loooong wait for a new studio album from one of rock's coolest characters, I was delighted to find The Unfairground at my local HMV. Got home, sat back, glass of fine (well decent enough) Bordeaux at hand and started to listen.
Hmmm. First time through, I must confess to mild disappointment, not the least of which was the whole shebang lasting just over half an hour! This wasn't an instant classic like Dr. Dream or Whatevershebrings. A few definitely catchy tunes in there though. Next listen, a day or so later, after work and I found myself foot-tapping and humming along, not to mention spotting some evocative hat-tips to Kevin's earlier work (that IS the craftily twisted riff, semi-reprised from irreversible Neural Damage, isn't it?). By the third listen, I was singing along with gusto (much to my lady's horror). This is definitely a grower! It's going in the car next, where my dulcet tones and enthusiastic steering-wheel tapping will annoy no-one.
Would have liked a bit more - especially one epic track, rather than lots of shorties. They are goodies though. Mr Ayers has matured like far finer wine than I can afford!
Hmmm. First time through, I must confess to mild disappointment, not the least of which was the whole shebang lasting just over half an hour! This wasn't an instant classic like Dr. Dream or Whatevershebrings. A few definitely catchy tunes in there though. Next listen, a day or so later, after work and I found myself foot-tapping and humming along, not to mention spotting some evocative hat-tips to Kevin's earlier work (that IS the craftily twisted riff, semi-reprised from irreversible Neural Damage, isn't it?). By the third listen, I was singing along with gusto (much to my lady's horror). This is definitely a grower! It's going in the car next, where my dulcet tones and enthusiastic steering-wheel tapping will annoy no-one.
Would have liked a bit more - especially one epic track, rather than lots of shorties. They are goodies though. Mr Ayers has matured like far finer wine than I can afford!
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Another collection of beautiful songs with a slightly left-field twist. Just like he's been doing for the past forty years, and not a trace of cynicism after all those years. Wonderfully simple, and simply wonderful, don't miss out.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
The old times revisited but looking forward
This is a nice collection of songs more like Sweet Deceiver than the older works. Very rich and diverse arramgements, every hearing brings new surprises and treasures. Read more
Published 6 months ago by van doremalen
Ayers (still) rocks
As so often happens, this disk comes in a cardboard sleeve that was so thin I first thought Amazon has posted an empty package. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Martin Sladdin
short but pretty sweet
I have always had a very soft spot for Kevin Ayers. I think that his work is neglected and occasionally sublime. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Hugh Crawford
Sublime English music. For believers in a better musical future
I become quite tongue tied when trying to describe music. I grew up (ie spent my early teens) in the 1970s and the rules of music were different then. It was more ...well, fun. Read more
Published on 15 Sep 2009 by C. Barnes
Only buy if you are a die-hard fan!
Unless you are a keen fan of Kevin Ayers this is not the best place to start. I first listened to him around 19702. Read more
Published on 21 April 2008 by Mikey
A return to form...
Unprolific gentleman rocker Ayers cocks a snook at detractors of his 80's output, bookending eight new songs with re-workings of 'Only Heaven Knows' and 'Run Run Run', highlights... Read more
Published on 23 Feb 2008 by Greville Rob
As good as ever!
First time through I was wondering what all the hype was about. But this is a grower and it's really grown on me.
Very different from "Still life.. Read more
Very different from "Still life.. Read more
Published on 27 Sep 2007 by Jerry
A long time coming
15 years since his last studio release this album is good without being great. Gentle tunes, familiar themes (dreams, lost love), it lacks the edge of his best work. Read more
Published on 23 Sep 2007 by fat-boy-fat
The Return of The King
I approached this release with trepidation. Could it really be 38 years since "Joy of a Toy"? On playing, no such reasons to be worried. Where did the last 38 years go? Read more
Published on 15 Sep 2007 by P. Ardron
Just adored this
I am lucky enough to have a pre-release copy of this wonderful CD. Fantastic harmonies, instrumentation, lyrics. Read more
Published on 30 Aug 2007 by D. Dykes
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