Poor Man's Heaven

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Binding: Audio CD EAN: 5099921700323 Label: Relentless Manufacturer: Relentless Number Of Discs: 1 Publisher: Relentless Release Date: 2008-06-30 Studio: Relentless
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Editorial Reviews: Seth Lakeman's fourth solo album, Poor Man’s Heaven, moves him ever closer to the mainstream, his frantic fiddle playing backed with a small, tight band fully aware of the power they generate. But the Dartmoor-based folk singer still digs into local folklore for material. The pounding opener "The Hurlers" refers to an ancient stone formation in Cornwall, while "Solomon Browne" commemorates the more recent loss with all hands of the Penlee lifeboat - Lakeman knew some of the bereaved as a schoolboy. Clearly a larger recording budget--his breakthrough record, 2004’s Mercury nominated Kitty Jay, was recorded in his kitchen for three hundred quid--hasn’t mollified his Saturnine tendencies. Having emerged from the purist folk scene, rather than the more chilled folktronica side, Lakeman must now be wondering how far he can go. The jaunty "Race To Be King" features maybe the loudest Jew’s harp ever recorded, while Kathryn Roberts' haunting backing vocals on "Cherry Red Girl" add depth (though he might be overdoing it on the old red though, included songs called "Crimson Dawn" and "Blood Red Sky"). The title track though is the giveaway, a blatant and undeniably effective reminder that Led Zeppelin defined the heavy folk-rock crossover decades ago. Lakeman yelps like a West Country Robert Plant, sounding like a man with stadia in his sights.--Steve Jelbert
Spotlight customer reviews: Customer Rating: Summary: Disappointing Comment: Well, album number 4 from Seth Lakeman finds him backed by a major label. Not good news for someone who's used to recording albums in kitchens. So, it was with some scepticism that I listened to Poor Man's Heaven and it was to say the least, a huge letdown. For a start, I don't personally LIKE the songs. They are bland to the extreme, and as several reviewers have already noted, mostly at the same tempo. Did his metronome break or something? Not good. On the plus side, I do like Crimson Dawn and Solomon Browne. The latter is a slightly obscure subject but is poignant and comes across well, despite sounding cluttered - a sparser sound may have suited it better and let the lyrics breathe a little. To me it all sounds far too mainstream orientated, which is a pity. Then again, it's hardly surprisng given that Relentless made him re-record Freedom Fields. I mean, WTF? Customer Rating: Summary: Masterfully evocative and balanced Comment: I have been trying not to give many five-star reviews anymore, instead trying to save them for something special; this record deserves all five. ALong with Elbow, 'Poor Man's Heaven' is the best release of the year, and his finest so far. I love the production; too many albums these days are produced with a blend of instruments creating a wall of sound, with some vocals laid on top. Although there are times in this record where several instruments are playing, the listener can always decifer each individual note. A good example is on the track 'Race to be King', where there is a tangle of instruments rattling along together and evoking the real sense of a chaotic race. There are numerous moments on the album like this, it's a really well-paced, meticulously crafted piece with great lyrics and wonderful structure. At first I thought songs like 'Cherry Red Girl' and 'I'll Haunt You' were perhaps slightly weaker, but I was soon bewitched by the chant-like quality of the former, and the powerful mid-chorus of the latter. So, no bad tracks then, but some that stand above others. Initially I thought 'The Hurlers' the finest track Seth has produced; then came 'Crimson Dawn', which swayed me. This is a beautiful song with Kathryn Roberts' vocals really working. Then, four tracks in,'Blood Red Sky' arrives. This song is a peach; powerful, well-written, catchy and exciting; it's a fine moment that comes in just before Solomon Brown, many people's favourite on the album. By this point I had decided that 'Poor Man's Heaven' is a real acheivement; a tour-de-force, conjuring vivid images of the sea, storms, beauty, and red. Lots of red; roses, blood, sunrises et al. So, five real stars for this album. Seth has demonstrated how a record should be made. 'Poor Man's Heaven' is passionate, crafted, evocative, perfectly balanced, and as intimate as a gig in a pub on a rainy evening. Time to do a three star review; Kings of Leon's new one then.. Customer Rating: Summary: A Disappointment Comment: I've tried, I really have but I do not like this. All the tracks are very similar. There is no light and shade. It's completely overproduced. Where is the fiery fiddling which brought him to so many people's attention. He is definitely moving full speed to pop stardom. I"m beginning to think that Seth Lakeman's best album will always be Kitty Jay. Customer Rating: Summary: Excellent modern folk/rock blend Comment: I bought this having heard only one track - I'll Haunt You. I wasn't disappointed. Other favourites of mine are "The Hurlers" - a foot-stomping track and the poignant "Solomon Browne", which tells of the Penlee lifeboat tragedy. Well worth buying, a great listen. Customer Rating: Summary: Formulaic Comment: I had high hopes for this, but as it turns out it is a big let down. It sounds like Seth has got into a rut as there is none of the imaginativeness that made Kitty Jay and Freedom Fields so distinctive. I can only agree with the other reviewer who said that all the tracks sound the same. It sounds like it was written to a formula: fiddle:check, guitar:check, drum:check: now Seth just sing the last track over again and we'll call it something diferent 'cause no one will notice. Can I have my money back? More Reviews