Elly Roberts reviews
Tim Rose: The London Sessions - 1978-1998
Distributed by
Market Square & BMG/RSK
- Cat.no: MSMCD119
- Rating: 6/10
Retro collection from one of the music businesses real troubadours, Tim Rose.
Like his life, which was colourful to say the least, this album of covers
and originals spanning two decades is a hit and miss affair. Mostly hits I
hasten to add. In his early career, Tim performed with the American trio The
Big Three which included Cass Elliot aka Mama Cass of Mamas and Papas fame.
When they split, their individual careers became much polarised. Tim became
the 'nearly man' of rock, though he did have recognition and airplay with
his most famous song Morning Dew. Having got to know Tim quite well in his
latter days, and see him perform on three occasions, Wrexham (our first
meeting at Central Station) and finally at Alexanders Jazz Bar Chester, I
knew what type of songs he was capable of handling and delivering. We got on
so well, he was considering writing a song for my wedding in August 2002.
Little did I know he was in a poor state of health - he died a month later
after an operation for cancer.
On a renaissance in early 2000, he was gigging his adopted homeland from his
London base, pulling in new fans, based on the resurgence in the acoustic
scene sweeping the nation. A brief support for Robert Plant's Priory of
Brion did much to bring him new found attention. Who better to go and see.
Rose had done it all, with many ups and downs in his forty year career.
Ironically, his final studio album, American Son, was his most polished
effort. Rose also knew what worked for him and what didn't - he was
self-critical to the end. On American Son he found the balance between
tender and powerful - his songwriting is exceptional. He'll probably, from
his final gigs, be remembered for his power-house Blues - shouter repertoire
along with the many showbiz anecdotes.
Apart from opener Like A European, a
romping harmonica-laden gem, we get a much gentler Rose than I remember
live. A big fan of the Gibb brothers ( Bee Gees ), his cover of their
classic I Started A Joke just about makes it, even though the voice is
somewhat hesitant on its 2 mins 24 secs. The Rose, a soundtrack hit for
Bette Midler, is a much better choice, followed by a less than convincing
Over The Rainbow with it's tragic karaoke feel and production. Buddy Holly's
It Doesn't Matter Anymore is equally limp. Things rapidly improve from track
six, Pavement Princess, a country fuelled ballad written by Pierre Tubbs and
Stephen Stapely.
If the productions failed Rose, he had a clever knack of getting the lyrics
over in a deeply passionate way, which is how I'll always remember him.
Following tracks It's All Gone Wrong and There I Go Again are quite
beautiful: perfectly suiting his unique 'style'. His rendition of Blue Steel
44, famously covered by Jimi Hendrix as Hey Joe, gets a more contemporary
mix, far more accessible for today's tastes, and would make a great single
with its modern R'n'B flavour - please, somebody pick up on this for radio
airplay - awesome track - the definitive version surely.
On the final
run-in, Lady's Coming Home For Christmas, is a bit too wet. Back on form,
Borocay is textbook Rose; the lyrics come shining through with some nifty
twanging acoustic guitar helping its lazy meandering.
Closer, The Answer, is more Rose at his best - co-written by Rose and Mickey
Wynne, a full-on rock-ballad that highlights his confidence from July 1998.
Wynne's 'Wah Wah' guitar is stunning.
The nearly man of rock would approve of most of this compilation.
The full list of tracks included are :
Review & concert pics copyright © Elly Roberts, 2004-2010.
