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Album Reviews
Five Points of Contact - Barber & Taylor (August 03, 2009)
The new album 'Five Points of
Contact' from Kevin Barber and Mark Taylor is another collection of finely
written, beautifully delivered and memorable songs from two accomplished
composers and musicians. For those that know their music this is yet one more
experience of the understanding that must exist between these two. Because
unless that exists they could not write the way they do. If you’re new to their
musical and vocal talents, sit back, listen and enjoy.
Their music always takes you on a series of
journeys. It reflects their refusal to be categorised as it ranges far and wide
as the fancy takes them. On ‘Five Points of Contact’ Barber & Taylor deliver an eclectic mix of styles from
bluesy-country through Americana to folksy-bluegrass to fashion a blend of
electric and acoustic excellence. They combine slide guitar, mandolin, banjo, lap resonator guitar, bass guitar and electric guitar to
weave their musical magic. Listen and
you’ll enjoy the fabric.
‘Railway
Town’ opens and it’s a ‘working song’ telling the story of railwaymen, the hard
price paid working on the railway and their eventual decline. Its poignant
lyric and soaring melody takes you right there - and the guitar breaks are
inspired. ‘Someone to Dance With’ is one of those songs that conjure an
immediate image as it takes you into the longing, wishful world of a lonely man
finding a shy dancing partner. There’s more here than the five points of
contact needed for the closed-hold waltzing – an enchanting song. ‘Cried Too
Long’ features some exceptional guitar work – this is a slice of Americana at
its toe-tapping best. ‘Lovely Daisy’ is yet another direction - a brooding
piece of English folk that hovers on the edge of haunting. There are 11 Barber
& Taylor masterpieces to enjoy on ‘Five Points of Contact’ plus their sensitive
version of ‘Waterloo Sunset’ by Ray Davies. Just one more example of their
stunning harmonies – and if I were Mr Davies I’d be highly flattered by such a
great cover.
There’s a
lot to listen to here, so take the time to make a musical trip with Barber
& Taylor.
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