Ian Prowse - Who Loves Ya Baby (Independent Records Limited)
 |
| Ian Prowse - Who Loves Ya Baby |
Release Date: 17th March 2014
Before we get started I have two
problems with this album even without listening to it: 1) The title has no
question mark in it - this stuff keeps me up at night. 2) What the hell is that
cover all about? What is up his sleeve that deserves so much attention he
couldn't even raise his head for the photographer? Sorry, just had to get that
out of the way before I gave the music a fair crack of the whip. Some of you
will recognise Ian Prowse from 90s band Pele and, more recently, Amsterdam but
this is his first effort at a solo album - although it's by no means just him
and a guitar. 'God And Man' kicks things off with a hopeful, sing-a-long kinda
feel that half explains why Prowse is known as the Scouse Springsteen. Weirdly,
the next two tracks take a thoroughly Irish turn with penny whistles liberally
strewn about on the wistful 'Coming Up For Air' and quietly determined 'We Were
Men'. Already you can see that Ian Prowse is a story teller in the fine
tradition of tale-weavers and although the production qualities are high these
are songs that could easily be sung in a rough and ready bar anywhere down near
the docks.
'I Did It For Love' kicks in with a samba
style rhythm and a huge chorus but a lyrical motif that channels Che Guevara
and more wild tales, this time of revolution. Continuing the theme of combat,
Prowse moves on to 'Lest We Forget' a sad ballad looking back at WWI before
moving on to more personal battles in 'Anger Mountain'. The celtic
instrumentation is back on 'Bring On The Healing' which bounces along gently in
the indie-folk-soul spectrum while 'Lift Up Thine Eyes' has some great 60s
guitars and an extreme sense of British pride without being remotely
xenophobic. Ironically, 'Empire' then takes a look at the more negative impacts
of Britannia to the tune of some rocking guitars and a healthy slab of thick,
treacly organ. "Yeah, yeah, yeah we built this empire on your blood"
sings Prowse and as an opening line you don't get much more attention grabbing
than that.
The gentle acoustic lilt of 'The
Murder of Charles Wootton' provides a falsely secure tone upon which to lay out
the themes of racism and bigotry with some potent lyrical work. 'Raising Up The
Clans' goes back to that Springsteen tone again but rather than a rallying call
to arms for a big battle, this song is apparently inspired by the 2013 NHS
marches in Manchester - who knew?! To finish up with there is 'Six Factories',
a song that sets a misty and deathly tone which is wholly appropriate as the
subject matter is that of the six concentration camps built in Poland by the
Nazis. Prowse is obviously an avid consumer of history, politics and cultural
shifts which makes for an album that engages the head as well as the heart and
that can't be bad, can it? Still though, next time you're having your photo
taken Ian, lift your head up, eh? I bet you've got gorgeous green eyes.
More information: www.amsterdam-music.com
Live Dates:
21st March - Manchester Academy 3, Manchester (Amsterdam
show)
3rd April - Rodewald Suite, Liverpool (solo)
4th April - Appletreewick, Yorkshire (solo)
10th April - Thunderbolt, Bristol (Amsterdam show)
11th April - The Cellars, Portsmouth (Amsterdam show)
18th April - Borderline, London (Amsterdam show)
26th April - Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton (Amsterdam show)
2nd May - Korks, Otley (solo)
17th May - Hurst Green, Preston (solo)
23rd May - Tulloch Institute, Perth (solo)
24th May - The Bar & Fly, Glasgow (Amsterdam show)
30th May - Acoustic Festival of Britain (solo)