You are hereAlbum Review: Graham Robins - The Shipping News (Global Sessions)
Album Review: Graham Robins - The Shipping News (Global Sessions)
A good evenly balanced mixture of soul, blues, country and gospel from Watford-born singer-songwriter Graham Robins. There's elements of Van Morrison in Graham's songs, not just in the cool clear water, the winds and breezes and the abundance of rain, but in the apparent Celtic soul connection; John Devine's uillean pipes and flute in the opening song Back to the Heartland for instance. Having said that, THE SHIPPING NEWS is for the most part a country influenced album, with plenty of pedal steel and heartaches throughout.
Putting to bed once and for all the notion that Brits cannot write comparable songs with British place names in the title to our American cousins, The Heights of Abraham comes along to put Derbyshire on the musical map. Also close to home is the nostalgic Roll Back the Years, a veritable memoir for anyone who lived though the 1960s, when Ben Sherman shirts and mini skirts were not only there, but were essential. Two things we do remember about the Sixties if we were there or not. There's also a liberal helping of Hammond organ throughout the album, courtesy of Dave Baldwin, which creates a soulful thread.
Self produced, THE SHIPPING NEWS joins Graham's two previous albums SPIRIT WITHIN and ROLL BACK THE YEARS in a steadily growing catalogue of informed, good intentioned and well written songs that are pretty much 'soul connected.'
Allan Wilkinson
Northern Sky
