April 19, 2009

Ed Harcourt: Russian Roulette

Ed Harcourt has been a recording artist for over a decade. The UK singer-songwriter keep falling in the musical cracks that separate Albion form North-America. The "It's all about the melody" UK pop awareness and the barely controlled pathetic TV sitcom credits song are once more struggling for dominance on his new EP Russian Roulette. Harcourt fires in all directions on this album, sometimes on target (Sour Milk Motheaten Silk), but there is collateral damage as well - the pseudo alt-country of Black Feathers goes nowhere at all.

One track stands apart, and it's by far the best song. Caterpillar was written for his new born daughter Roxy when she was in hospital. That is a subject that could have been smothered in sugary waves of piano, but Harcourt maintains a (caring) stiff upper lip.

Marketed as a stop-gap release Russian Roulette was recorded quickly, but a bit more time would have hurt. Running with a half-hearted ideas and rough demos and trying to make them into something coherent make this a fans only record.

Ed Harcourt: Russian Roulette

Russian Roulette is released on Dovecote Records. Release date: May 5th.

Tracks:
  1. Russian Roulette
  2. Sour Milk Motheaten Silk
  3. Black Feathers
  4. Caterpillar
  5. Creep Out Of The Woodwork
  6. Girl With The One Track Mind

» edharcourt.com
» myspace.com/edwardharcourt

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