Fairy
Light Nights is a mixture of live recordings gleaned from various dates
played in January and February 2000.If you, like me, have been waiting
for a quality All About Eve live set to be released, you'll not be disappointed.
The tracks include three that will be new to many fans.Forever and Bleed
are two stunning tracks written by Marty during his solo career and
Miss World was one of the first tracks Julianne wrote for Mice.
Julianne: "We are looking at the acoustic album
being ready for the first of the acoustic dates we are going to play.
We have a working title of 'Fairy Light Nights' which anyone who was
there will understand! Andy and I will finish compiling the acoustic
tracks this weekend and they will be in the hands of Almafame [the record
company] on Monday. Then it's a race against time!
There were songs we really wanted to include, but,
the quality was poor or we made a mistake or whatever..... Volume Two
[see below] will have MORE songs on it and will certainly plug the gaps
that are gaping." Fairy Light Nights is released by Almafame and
distributed by Pinnacle Records (catalogue number YEAAH 8) Track Listing
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What kind
of fool.
In the clouds.
Forever.
Share it with me.
Will I start to bleed.
Miss world.
Martha's harbour.
Shelter from the rain.
Are you lonely.
Appletree man.
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In January of this year,
three members of All About Eve took the brave decision to step
out in to the unknown. They deciced to strip their songs down
to the basics and so armed with a handfull of acoustic guitars
and a bass the acoustic tour was born. It soon became obvious
that this style whilst not alien to the likes of Martha's Harbour,
was both suiting the songs and the audience.
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And now we have Fairy Light
Nights - live acoustic. The atmosphere of the tour has been captured
beautifully and some of Marty and Andy's playing is a delight.And
Julianne's vocals, her voice hasn't waned with absence. The songs themselves,
whilst I'm sure most people could argue a case for any particular track
the band seem to have kept it short and sweet (44mins) and managed to
include two of Marty's solo tracks (Will I Start to Bleed and Forever,
fast turning in to my personal favourite on the album) and Miss World
from Julianne's all to short lived Mice venture (though it's a pity
a full version of the song couldn't be used).
Other highlights to look out for are a very atmospheric
In The Clouds , Marty's solos on Shelter From The Rain and some banter
from a band so obviously enjoying themselves to the full. If you went
to the gigs, buy it. If you didn't go to the gigs, buy it. You won't
be disappointed.
Fairy Light Nights II
If all goes well the forthcoming live album it may
open up the potential for more in the near future ....
Julianne: "Well, the vague plan is that we record the next run
of shows, where we will be playing different songs to those we played
earlier this year (there will be some overlap on the live shows, but,
it will be a different set-list). So, if Volume One is a success, there
will follow a Volume Two!
Record Collector
Fairy Light Nights - Reviewed
YEAAHH! 8 (44:24)
As hinted at in the self-deprecatory sleevenotes,
straight out of the `where are they now?' file comes this charming live
souvenir of All About Eve's recent winter acoustic tour. And a suitably
wintry, acoustic affair it is, all muted melodies, minor key guitars
and understated basslines
Julianne Regan's side-line as Cropredy's fave Sandy
Denny substitute seems to have taken her over, as there's more than
a hint of Denny in songs like "What Kind Of Fool?" and "Will
I Start To Bleed?" That's no bad thing in itself except that, as
on Sandy's otherwise superb solo albums, the air of laid-back melancholy
can become overwhelming after a few songs, and you long for something
a bit, well, tougher. Nevertheless, there's some superb material here,
not least the nautical lament of "Martha's Harbour" wherein
the resigned vocals and minor-key fingerpicking combine to form the
perfect air of Nick Drake-esque bedsit angst.
Steve Rippon
Fairy
Light Nights
