Over There by Roger Marshall
Playlist
New Zealand Musician review of Over There by Ricardo Kerr
Over There is the latest in his growing catalogue of albums exploring the
acoustic end of the
country and blues spectrum, evoking the vast lush landscapes
of Aotearoa, with just a hint of Americana.
It is country music of sorts, but a
sort born out of life experience, not misguided fads and popularity.
Marshall
has a sincere, weathered voice somewhere between Nick Cave and Bruce
Springsteen. Speaking
from experience it demands your attention at every turn. A
mournful harmonica opens the doors for
some lush guitar chords to breaks through
on opener Know About You. Throughout the album are touches
that stick in your
memory after it has played; the gentle waltz of This World, the layered guitar
tones on Iron Years, and the title track's threadbare blues, a la Seasick Steve.
A charming journey,
nothing but pleasant from start to finish, a safe bet for
anybody who craves a little more
heartfelt and earnest than the typical Kiwi
music fare.
Over There was my first foray into a recording studio. I had been enjoying jamming with Jono Lonie and I asked if he'd want to be involved. We decided on Darren's Earwig studio. Darren is old-school and uses analogue 2 inch tape, all credit to him. So the whole album was recorded pretty much "live", with some over dubbing. You have to admire the Beatles and others who recorded in the same way. Jono's backing on violin, acoustic and plugged in overdriven mandolin, pipes, including the Irish uilleann variety, are all fantastic. Darren added some bass. I play guitar and harmonica, and a Chinese instrument, called a ruan, on Back Roads and Over There.
Downland is a song for my Dad. In my childhood we lived the north downs, just south of London. The album is in his memory and to ramblings later in life in the Downland together.
COMPLETE ALBUM
Know about you
Back roads
Break for the border
This world
Out to sea
Iron years
Downland
Feeling my way
Winter song
Over there
Yours and mine
Outside your window
