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Track List |
The lyrics for all songs on 'Ghosts' can be found here.
Review 1 - Alan Ratcliffe
Review 2 - Julia Crowe
Gosh time flies! I reviewed Chris’ band’s (Acoustic Moods) album ‘Unplugged’ back in – wow – way back in 2006. Then, I was struggling for a genre to describe the music, and I compared Acoustic Moods to ‘The Shadows meets Genesis’. Again, this time around, I was struggling for a genre. There’s real Lancashire-dialect folk singing that moves into fabulous 4-or-5-part harmonies, simple acoustic guitar joining into dozens of electric instruments. Difficult to pigeon-hole again. But read on….
When I listened to Ghosts for the first time, to be quite honest, there were a number of tracks that I just simply did not like. (My background is playing just about every kind of music from military and classical to big-band, rock and jazz – but not folk. I’m just not a great lover of folk music – except when it’s live in front of me.)
Despite my early reactions, I wanted to do the album justice and listen objectively. So, constrained by time, or lack of it, I’ve listened to it in fits and starts over some eight months. Probably the whole album in total around 5 times. In the track-by-track reviews, I’ve given my early opinions, and then my fifth-time-of-hearing opinion. You can see the differences – I was quite amazed when I compared my early set of notes to my last set that I had written without sight of my originals. Almost like reading reviews of two totally-different albums.
It was around the fifth time of listening that the light went on. A BIG light. It really did. If you swap the lovely tones of Sandy Denny for the arguably-lovely tones of Chris Dumigan, there are quite a few tracks where you could be listening to an early Fairport Convention – albeit with better drums and recording technology, particularly in the harmonies.
It really goes to show that this album really DOES grow on you!!! I started with the view – “Well, I’ll have to find time to listen to that album of Chris’ “, and over time, it has slowly-but-surely become – “What shall I listen to on my iPod on the train home tonight? I’ll listen to Chris” – by choice!!
The fact that Chris has performed most of the singing (except for a couple of tracks where Chris was augmented by Dan and Tony) for even the so – called Urmston West African Gospel Choir on Afterwards , are Chris , Dan and two females layered over 60 times! and played just about all the instruments (except for guitar and bass on a couple of tracks by Tony and Dan) demonstrates Chris’ musical prowess. I’ve re-written the next bit because I also wrote that Chris was obviously quite an editing and layering wizard – but in fact the sleeve notes show that this praise very much goes to Tony!
It also demonstrates Chris’ rich imagination for the production – he uses quite an array of instruments, layered together quite expertly, and shows just why he was the Musical Director of various musicals in the 70’s. So – if you like what I can only describe as folk-rock, with some fabulous instrumentation and rich harmonies, then buy a copy from Chris. It might take YOU six months to really appreciate it. But I’m pretty certain that you will.
Track by track review.
Track 1 - Ghosts - I love the piano on this. In fact, its style and mood remind me a little of Neil Harrison (the guy who looks, sounds like, and portrays John Lennon in the Bootleg Beatles) but not quite so Lennon-esque. Chris sings with quite a gentle, melancholic voice - and then the neat burst of electric guitar is gentle and sad. They used to say that Eric Clapton tells the story with his guitar - so does Chris!!
Track 2 - January - has a familiar electric bass sound sitting underneath the twinned acoustic guitars. I like. Firstly we have the first appearance of the Lancashire folk style. But then comes the double-tracking of Chris’s voice gives it greater atmosphere and richness. A (little) bit reminiscent of Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson? And here come those glorious harmonies...
Track 3 - Turn Out the Light - This HAS to be the first single off the album (assuming there’s a record company reading this!!) There is the Instant Hook – the opening life breathing through this track and then the chord progression flirts with the taste buds. And then your brain realises that you are subliminally listening to the words and following the chord progression. And then he layers-in the harmonies. Love it. Just love it. It’s straight from the heart. And it makes a change for me to listen to vocals before getting deep into the music...
Track 4 - Naughty Little Girl - a heavier track. It’s a lively start, no surprise when those angry vocals come in!! You can FEEL the anger. The overall percussion - drums in particular - and subtle electric guitar give it the power that the lyrics demand. I thought that the middle instrumental was VERY Genesis!! And a few overtones of Tommy by The Who! (I wonder where that influence came from?!) I just LOVE the instruments and voices in the fading out!!
Track 5 – Tomorrows and Yesterdays – Just LOVE the intro – electric guitar and heavy-ish drums with a de-tuned, loose-skinned sound. That kind of raw feel gives it a forceful atmosphere. The production is just excellent. The choice of drum sound is inspirational – as are the harmonies. An instant favourite. And – maybe because of that firm drum sound that reminds me of the garage-environment recording of ‘You Win Again’ – I could hear the Bee Gees singing this with Robin Gibb taking that melancholy lead.
Track 6 - Lonely - has quite an eerie start - I expected either a Metallica-type voice coming in here or to see a flight of Lancaster bombers flying overhead!! I was foot-tapping instantly to the catchy guitar-strumming, then come the harmonies to give it some beef...
Track 7 - Don't Tell Me - Starts with just Chris and a lovely, rich, acoustic piano. And Chris’ fierce emotion. This track demonstrates Chris’ ability to put a good melody together. This could be the follow-up to Chris’ next single! I originally wrote that I wasn’t too impressed by the “Aaaahs” – but they fit in really well after a few listenings.
Track 8 - Whispered - opens with a superb, jangly, bright arpeggio guitar. Could be an early REM track, particularly with a slightly-syncopated electric bass underneath - what a lovely combination!
Track 9 - Poppies - Quite a change in view on this one!!! My original thoughts were “Is that a mandolin? This is like an early Led Zeppelin! Not convinced about the glockenspiel though.” How wrong could I be? It’s actually a ‘Nashville’ guitar, and grows on you. But it DOES start like an acoustic Led Zeppelin track . . . . By now I’ve grown to like the glockenspiel - it brings the Spring season to the song, the poppies growing. It was this track where the light came on - ‘Fairport Convention’ light bulb above my head. Listen for yourself, see if you can see the Fairport Convention but all-male vocals and modern recording techniques!!! Personally I think this track not only sounds grand, but is CLEVER.
Track 10 - Another Victim of a Broken Heart - What a fabulous production! Even the opening solo piano begins the melancholy. The words and drumming could be from Phil Collins. At my latest listening session, the 'Falling Apart' now sounds so familiar I'm really hooked on this track. OK so it’s a sad, heartbreaking track. But I love the music. And I’ve JUST realised that the harmonies in the middle section could be from 80’s Genesis... Terrific song, with lyrics by Tony Ward.
Track 11 - The Loser - Gosh. it’s that acoustic Led Zeppelin sound again!! Very tasteful group voices and harmonies. I'm not usually one for concentrating on the lyrics of a song until I'm comfortable with the music - this sometimes takes years!!! However, on this track I found the bright and intriguing lyrics dragging my curiosity deeper and deeper into the song, always wondering where this was leading me!! I'm not telling you - YOU listen!!
Track 12 - Afterwards - The first time I listened I simply wrote “ANOTHER sad song... Neil Harrison again... Didn't like this one - production - drumming, brass, seems wrong, acoustic guitar solo at around 4 minutes seemed a bit ragged. the harmonies are folk-style with a deep bass voice underneath and at 6.30 it's too long!!!”
However - after the fifth time of listening, I have TOTALLY changed my opinion. I now LOVE this song. Yes, it's sad. Oh-so-sad. REALLY REALLY sad. The sadness is reflected in the chord progressions and the 3/4 time. Then it HIT me - it's a bit like 'Pretty Maids All In A Row' on the Eagles’ Hotel California. That song jerks my heart strings and brings tears to my eyes, too. This song digs up those buried emotions of youthful heartache. I was just getting back in control when the violins hit. Enough said.
Track 13 - January (Instrumental) - I like this - except for the electric bass. On the guitars, this is Chris at his imperious, folk-rock acoustic best. Normally (like in Acoustic Moods and on other tracks on this album) I love Chris' underlying electric bass, but in my humble opinion I personally think that this track would be better without it. But hey - YOU judge for yourself and then agree or disagree!!!
© Alan Ratcliffe 2010
Chris Dumigan's 'Ghosts' is a fun, sonic diary showcasing two decades of his songwriting and guitar-playing skills from the early 70s to 90s, opening with his pensive and melodic title track, which reflects longingly but lovingly upon time past. Like the artwork on his CD, which shows Dumigan at various ages holding different makes of favorite guitars, all his musical selves merge seamlessly with beautiful acoustic guitar melodies, notably in 'Lonely' and 'January.' His Paul Simon-meets-Randy-Newman-flavored songs conjure enjoyably tuneful flashbacks and daydreams like a radio-infused summer road trip.
© Julia Crowe 2010
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