Richie Milton will best be judged by history and most likely found to be a significant figure inthe British blues scene. With releases on theNote-Music, Blues Matters! and Indigo labels, plus some he has put out himself, the beshaded frontman for his Lowdown is not a new name but he does seem to get overlooked in the UK blues pantheon - despite always receiving excellent reviews (and he'll get another of those here). Fellow singer/ guitarist Bill Farrow is known to some for his song "Canning Town Blues", which West Ham fans will have heard down at Upton Park, but Bill is also an all-round talent, being both an actor and poet in addition to his blues skills. This CD presents the two men alternating their vocals,
backing each other up, and performing real duets.
The music is acoustic based, with a rhythm section of Greg Harewood on bass and Graham Hollingworth on drums providing just the right kind of bottom for this music, and Roger Cotton on organ on two tracks. Alan Glen provides his top-notch harmonica playing to six songs and also supplies the kazoo on "She Don't Know". Alert readers may now be forming reasonably accurate ideas of what this release sounds like - kazoo may suggest the
urbane hokum sound of Tampa Red And Georgia Tom, and the use of the word "skiffle" tends to reinforce that - and it has English
sounding connotations which are certainly borne out by the likes of the gospel-based "Hammersmith And City Line" and several less obviously-titled compositions. There are also a couple of tips of the hat to rockabilly - but in a aid-back style, as is the rest of the album. I enjoyed this very much; a little different, but a lot familiar. Richie never disappoints, does he? Neither does Bill...
 
Rating: 8 -
Norman Darwen
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