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DR ROBERT - "BIRDS GOTTA FLY"
Who is Dr Robert? 80's pop star? 90's troubadour?? 2001??? Well right now he happens to be making the best music of his life!! . . . Birds Gotta Fly. All the spark, the energy, the passion and the fun packed into one almighty punch. No Pigeon Hole, No Cage. Birds Gotta Fly..... Returning to The Raven's legendary studio, Bryn Derwen in Bethesda, Wales, armed only with some old guitars, a computer and a notebook he set about recording this, his 5th solo LP (12th including The Blow Monkeys'). Featuring local musicians such as John Lawrence (ex Gorky's) on pedal steel and David Wrench (Bubblegun) on piano. Drums and percussion come courtesy of young Ben Burns (of new band The Bark) with additional colour from Nick Webb on cornet and ace harmonica player Robb Appleton. Drenched in the emotive violins of the brilliant Nell Catchpole (The Bark/ Gogmagogs/Eno), it journeys from the mantra like opener of Birds Gotta Fly to the boogie pulse of Blue Skies , the seductive groove of The Nearly Room to the vitriolic country twang of A Little Song. Leaving behind the acclaimed "fenland blues" of his last outing, Flatlands (1999), he heads for more exotic shores. Check the new single A Single Summer - a Hassidic rave up with dancing violins and open tuned guitars. Never afraid to fly, it revisits territory last explored in his collaboration with Algerian Rai king (Cheb) Khaled.. Or Sycamore Tree the downhome "field recording" that sounds like it's come straight out of Harry Smiths "Folk Anthology" with Alan Lomax holding the mic..!! Birds Gotta Fly represents a sort of coming of age. A place where all the Dr's disparate influences and colours collide. Held together by the inimitable songwriting skills and distinctive vocals that have made Dr Robert such a powerful presence, this is music that demands to be heard .In a career that now spans three decades this is the sound of a musician at the height of his powers, on a journey that shows no sign of slowing . TRACK LIST:
Written and
Produced by Robert Howard ...except track 4*...additional production
by Marius de Vries songs published by BMG Music Dr Robert "I wanted to give freedom to whatever songs came out. I wanted to push some of the odd and strange side of my writing to the fore and not think too much about it." Thus speaks the very good Dr Robert about his new album, 'Birds Gotta Fly' currently shaping up to be the jewel in his solo career to date. 'Birds' is Dr Robert's fifth solo album and finds the former Blow Monkey embracing and exploring an impressive range of musical textures and sounds. The result is a highly accomplished album featuring many stand-out tracks. The accompanying single, 'A Single Summer' is propelled by a catchy but fiery acoustic riff. The title track takes on the form of a funky and positive mantra. 'The Nearly Room' is built on a circular riff of massive proportions (the title is taken from a Muhammad Ali quote describing how he felt the first time the mighty Joe Frazier hit him). 'Still Got A Lot To Learn' breathes with a disarming honesty whilst the closing title, 'A Little Song' pits Robert's angry words about the misuse of power against a sunny brass band treatment. The good Doctor began writing this album in summer of last year, recording it and mixing in four hectic December weeks at Bryn Derwen studios in North Wales. "I've got a much higher bullshit detector upon myself," Robert points out. "I am a much more strict editor of my own writing, whereas in the past I was really learning my trade in a way and working in an environment in which I was only being given two weeks to come up with an album." Robert is of course referring to his time with his chart friendly combo, The Blow Monkeys. Since their demise, Robert moved out to the country - Oxford first, now Cambridgeshire - and quietly embarked on a solo career that has established him as a singer songwriter of true talent. He sees many of his songs as a diary of his circumstances and on this album he has been helped by members of The Bark - most noticeably Nell Catchpole on violin - as well as Ben Burns the drummer. Robb Appleton played harmonica and local Welsh dignitaries also contributed. These included John Lawrence, ex of Gorky's Zygoti Mynci on pedal steel guitar and David Wrench of new group Bubblegum who played piano, synth and engineered the album. "Every new album," Dr. Robert concludes, "I always think is the best thing I have ever done but on this one it feels like the whole of my career so far has been leading up to this. Right now, I'm really proud of it." And so he should be. Thus the bird starts to fly. Paolo Hewitt May 2001
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