Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Reckoning that even superlatives can't do this justice, 8 Sep 2005
John Tams has been a leading light on the folk music scene for decades but his first solo outing was the wonderful Unity, released in 2001. It was followed by the equally wonderful (IMHO) Home in 2002. Now, just when I thought nothing could beat those two, comes The Reckoning! Each song is superb. I have been listening to it for days now and have yet to even think about getting tired of it. Each of the 11 tracks is a mini-masterpiece. The Sea suite, All Clouds the Sky, Written in the Book, The Bitter Withy, Safe House, Amelia, Including Love and the awesome Man of Constant Sorrow are all superlative. Give it a listen. A must for any music collection!
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
What makes John Tams' songs so special?, 11 Mar 2006
What makes John Tams' songs so special? Well, he has a genius for melody, and his words are intelligent and imaginative. His obvious sympathy with the underdog, both past and present, lends sincerity to his singing and provides much original material.
But musically, the reason why these are songs are so unusual is that they are obviously written by a singer, not by a guitarist or a pianist. The melodies seem unrelated to any obvious chords. The rhythms are hard to pin down. They change and develop as Tams shortens or lengthens his lines and changes his pace. The musicians have to follow along as best they can (and they do so brilliantly). The folk-rock of the past was generally driven by the rhythm section of a band. Although Sandy Denny would sometimes lag behind or forge ahead, Tams goes one stage further. His strong vocals definitely lead the band. The musicians accompany him, and the accompaniment itself has endless variations.
Another delightful touch, probably owing something to Tam's early contact with Joe Boyd (original producer for Fairport, Sandy Denny etc.) comes in the odd little musical digressions, unexpected and delightful: a change of rhythm, an unexpected instrument, a snatch of melody or harmony unrelated to the main song, leading into it or out of it.
The end result is not merely a dozen familiar tunes you like to whistle while walking the dog; neither the melodies nor the rhythms will allow for that. They are songs (or rather cycles of songs and snatches of songs) that you want to hear again and again, to rediscover exactly how they went. Some musical moments will appeal more than others, but none are so easily remembered that you grow weary of them. Their appeal is a lasting one.
"Home" was the first of Tams' solo recordings that I heard and (perhaps for that reason) remains my favourite. But the whole trilogy (with "Unity" and "The Reckoning") remains an ongoing delight.
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Pure Craftsmanship, 19 Oct 2005
I have deliberately delayed writing this review. I was tempted to write it as soon as I heard The Reckoning, but resisted until I felt that I really knew each song. That said, I don't think it is possible to single out individual songs from an album that - in keeping with his previous two solo albums 'Unity' and 'Home' - has an organic wholeness about it. What is so incredible is that there is such variety in the songs (check out the 'Sea' medley, for example) yet they simply seem to belong together. Paradoxically, they simultaneously surprise and reassure.
John Tams is a real craftsman. The album is beautifully and sensitively, well, crafted. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
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~ John Tams
~ John Tams
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