Fall Down With You - The Paperboys (The Road To Ellenside)Fragile- The Paperboys from The Road to EllensideThis a review written by Johnny Black who writes for MOJO among many other publications.
Astonishingly eclectic folk-rock from acclaimed Canadian quintetWe say :
So there I am, filling my battered old Peugeot up with unleaded at the local petrol station when I overhear a bunch of interesting-looking young people talking about the gig theyre heading towards. We fall to chatting and they turn out to be The Paperboys, an acclaimed folk-rock combo from Vancouver, Canada, on a short UK tour. Before I leave the station theyve pressed their newly-released CD into my hands and I slip it into the car CD player as I head for home.
The Road To Ellenside, recorded in the heart of Englands Lake District, is their fifth album (if you include their greatest hits set) and Im embarrassed to have to admit that Id never even heard of them before. As soon as track one offered up its winning blend of eclectic country-folk-rock enlivened with all kinds of unlikely influences, I knew I was going to like this disc. By the time Id got home I knew I was going to review it.
That first track, the sparky, sprightly instrumental String Of Horses, blends a light funky guitar rhythm with Celtic flute and fiddle, which is immediately usurped by the Mexican flavours of La Primavera, briefly introducing me to the delights of Tom Landas richly expressive vocals before unexpectedly transforming itself into an Irish jig for the instrumental section.
Given their playing abilities, this is a band that I can imagine being quite marvellous live, and theres a decidedly live feel to the CD that animates soaring road ballads like California, the kind of thing that wouldnt have sounded out of place on an early Eagles album.
The bands only female member, Kendel Carson, plays some tasty fiddle licks throughout, but shes also a fine singer, contributing much to a lovely duet with Landa on Fall Down With You. Their latin version of Stings classic Fragile, set to the rhythm of a lightly-strummed jarana (eight stringed Mexican guitar) and pepped up with another of Geoffrey Kelleys unexpectedly Irish flute solos, is worth the price of the CD in itself, but then so are the punk-jazz jig Sheeps Ass, the sturdy South American flavoured instrumental El Baile del Puma and the Mexico meets South Africa groove of Waiting.
Just when you think they cant blindside you with any more surprises, they let Geoffrey Kelly loose on the vocals of Water Dreams, a semi-psychedelic sea shanty, which he delivers in tones that might belong to Tom Waits younger brother, until the track ends with two trumpet solos, one a smoky dive bar jazz improvisation and the other sounding almost like a long lost baroque composition.
Bands capable of bringing this much conviction to such a diverse range of styles are rare indeed so investing in The Paperboys would be a wise move for anybody who enjoys artists like Paul Simon, Loudon Wainwright or Great Big Sea.
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They Say :
Dirty Linen : The Paperboys know how to grab melody hooks in pop friendly songs...while fast and flashy banjo and whistles pace the trad and trad-sounding jigs and reels.
Seattle Rocket : If you don't believe a jig can shred, listen to The Paperboys.
Folk Roots : The most exuberant record I've heard in ages...breathtaking.
