The Haunted Year - Spring: Man Bleeds in Glasgow/Greetings from Milford - Jackie Leven Album Review

Jackie Leven - Image: www.myspace.com/thejackieleven
Jackie Leven
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Album Review

'Glaswegian hard man' gets commercial release of fan-site CDs.

Released for the first time as commercial releases, these two live CDs catch Jackie Leven and chums at gigs in Water Rats Theatre London in 1998 and British Legion club Milford Derbyshire in 1999.

In effect, this is a fan-club resurrection from the prolific Scotsman who has garnered a considerable fanbase through his live shows and an appreciation society he instigated The Haunted Valley, a quarterly magazine. He also released live album limited to members of the society, which included these two.

The first disc with Michael Cosgrave and Steafan Hannigan aka Celtic Soulmen is by far the better of the two. Its setlist is mostly drawn from his album Night Lilies (1998) arguably one of Leven's best solo offerings on Cooking Vinyl. Not stopping just there, it also goes further back to material like Call Mother A Lonely Field.

We get rustic ballads such as Farm Boy, love ballad Looking For Love to the whopping Celtic sound of the magnificent Glenarm, including some stirring Uillean pipe-work by Hannigan, and the country blues-tinged gem Man Bleeds in Glasgow.

The jewel in the crown is the divine ballad Poor Toun. This sweet and gentle song is beautifully sung, (his best vocal by a long stretch) enough to bring tears to the eyes.

Coming a close second is the haunting ballad Deep Choking Wooded Death Fix highlighted by some stylish acoustic picking. The set closes with one of his most popular songs Call Mother Lonely Field which allows us to hear his soulful voice at its thrusting best.

All this is mixed with some sharp wit, playful inter band and audience banter.

The second disc he plays on the 1999 Haunted Valley Christmas Party in Derbyshire, with Kevin Hewick, Dan Britton and Lee Allatson aka The Stornoway Girls.

This time he delves into some fine covers by Van Morrison (Madam George) and Lou Reed (I'm Waiting For The Man / Pale Blue Eyes) during his Velvet Underground days, Bill Withers (Who Is He And What Is He To You?) along with some fine originals like the jaunty Walking In Argyll and Listening To Crows Pray.

His working of the gorgeous Pale Blue Eyes sees the same laidback template adopted by Reed, though Leven's vocals sharpen things up considerably compared to the original. Waiting For My Man retains the original's rough'n'ready swagger, though his vocal attack doesn't seem to catch Reed's 60s rock pulse.

He tries the same approach on the funky Who Is He..but his vocals don't match-up to Withers' sublime soulful angst, but the wah wah riffs are superb.

The verdict - Very good collection.

Rating - CD 1 **** (4/5) CD 2 *** (3/5)

Elly Roberts

Gigs

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