Pip Pyle '7 Year Itch'
1. Seven Sisters
2. Chinese Whispers
3. Strawberry Fields Forever
4. 7 Year Itch
5. I'm Really Okay
6. Once Around the Shelves
7. Long On
8. Shipwrecked (with idle hands)
9. L'etat Des Choses
10. Foetal Fanfare Fandango
Voiceprint 1988 - www.voiceprint.co.uk
This album is a real gem and I unreservedly recommend it to fans
of the Hatfield and the North, National Health, In Cahoots
continuum. Intelligent, moving, jazz influenced, progressive (in
the musical sense rather than pompous drivel) rock performed by a
stellar cast of musicians including amongst others and in
addition to Pip himself of course:
Dave Stewart, Barbara Gaskin, Phil Miller, Jakko M Jaksyk,
Richard Sinclair, John Greaves, Fred Thelonious Baker, Hugh
Hopper, Paul Rogers (bass not the rock singer), Didier Malherbe
and Elton Dean.
Just in case you don't know Pip, he has played drums with amongst
others Gong, Hatfield and the North, National Health and In
Cahoots. What I hadn't realised fully up until now is that he is
also a damn fine composer.
In case these names are not familiar they represent large chunks
of Hatfield and the North (all of it in fact), National Health,
Gong, Soft Machine and In Cahoots (Phil Miller's band of the last
20 years playing jazzy rock music). This should give you some
idea of what to expect. Some would call it part of the 'Canterbury'
sound, a term which is often used in a non too discerning manner.
I guess that the elements of that here are Richard Sinclair's
vocals in the first track, the occasional hint of that classic
fuzzed organ sound by Dave Stewart and the approach to vocal
melodies which is almost unique to this group of bands and
musicians.
Quite simply this album contains some of the best examples of
this brand of music that I have heard on album since 'Of Queues
& Cures' by National Health in the late 70's. It's not quite
all that good but most of the album is truly exceptional.
The opening track 'Seven Sisters', originally written by Pip and
performed in a different form by National Health (a version is
available on 'Playtime' called 'Pleiades') has to be one of my
top five pieces of music of the last few years. It's simply
stunning, no other way to describe it. What is amazing here and
on other tracks written solely by Pyle is the beauty of his
compositions from a melodic and harmonic viewpoint.
'Seven Sisters' is the only track sung by Richard Sinclair. Jakko
sings on 'Chinese Whispers', 'Long On' and 'Shipwrecked', Barbara
Gaskin on 'Strawberry Fields' and 'I'm Really Okay' and John
Greaves the title track. Greaves imbues the title track with the
angst the subject matter demands (plus a bit more).
I think that one of the keys to this album's success is the
amount of himself that Pip has invested in the lyrics and music
covering subject matter such as how it feels to live away from
one's home country in 'Chinese Whispers', marital breakup in '7
Year Itch' and getting it back together with the help of good
friends in 'I'm Really Okay'.
Highlights of the album for me are the full band performances on
the aforementioned 'Seven Sisters' plus 'Chinese Whispers', I'm
Really Okay', 'Long On' and 'Shipwrecked' (up there in the 'Seven
Sisters' class with great solos from Stewart and Jakko). These
tracks are really as good as the work of the Hatfields and
National Health.
'Strawberry Fields' would be a bit of a throwaway if it weren't
for Gaskin's smooth vocals and although it's a very interesting
treatment of a fantastic song it doesn't do a huge amount for me.
Fans of Dave Stewart's post National Health work with 'pop' tunes
will love it though. 'Once Around the Shelves' is a competent,
programmed (in the MIDI sense) jazz-funk fusion workout, 'L'etat…'
a piece of rumbling synth space ambience and 'Foetal…' a
military drum and brass band finale with a hint of the Gong sense
of humour about it. All are good tracks but the brilliance of the
five band performances serves to put them in the shade rather.
As I said at the beginning if you like the work of the Hatfields,
National Health and In Cahoots you will love this album. Most
excellent.
Look out for Pip live with In Cahoots
with Phil Miller on guitar, Elton Dean on sax and Fred T Backer
on bass.
David Weston March and July 2001
Copyright Bathtub of Adventures 2001
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