Trevor Beales - Fireside Stories: Hebden Bridge Circa 1971-1974 - Import Vinyl LP Record

Credits:

Trevor Beales

Description:

Yorkshire guitarist, songwriter, and folk singer Trevor Beales wrote and recorded these 12 songs in the attic bedroom of his parents house between the ages of 18 and 21. After traveling for several years, he formed Havana Lake and wrote their lone, privately released 1977 album, Concrete Valley. Beales left music, moved to London, then Bournemouth, and married. In 1987, he died suddenly after complications from a parasitic infection. He was 33. The tapes languished with widow Christine Beales for more than 40 years. Through a friend, they were circuitously sent to indie label Basin Rock, which compiled Fireside Stories: Hebden Bridge Circa 1971-1974. Beales was a British folkie who loved Delta blues and jazz. His earliest influence was Romani-French guitarist Django Reinhardt, while his writing and sophisticated fingerstyle playing developed from the influences of Davy Graham and Bert Jansch. The set opens with "Marion Belle." Later versions of it and "Ocean of Tears" were re-recorded for Concrete Valley. On the former, Beales driving, minor-key fingerpicking melds modern folk and progressive blues. His sweet baritone relates a ships tragedy in the grand British Isles tradition. Beales lyrics are arresting. His narrative describes the weather, the ship, and the perspectives of its captain, tragic hero, and his widow. The latter is a sweeping, acoustic jazz tune that recalls Mark-Almonds eponymous debut. "Tell Me Now" is a dark, chilling story song about rape, murder, and hanging, in waltz time. "Dance of the Mermaids" is an instrumental showcase for this extremely capable guitarist. Beales juxtaposes traditional English and Celtic folk, jazz harmony, and syncopation across ever-changing sequences in what is essentially a short suite. "City Lights" and "The Old Soldier" offer the lighter and breezier side of Beales songwriting. The former recalls the mood and feel of Nick Drakes "Hazey Jane II," while the latter reflects the self-assured buoyancy of a young John Martyn. "Sunlight on the Table" is an emotionally arresting tune about lost love, memory, and solitude. "Metropolis" is a labyrinthine, minor-key, midtempo ballad offered from a street singers viewpoint. Instrumental "Braziliana" showcases Beales jazz chops with elegant phrasing and rhythm. "Then Ill Take You Home" is a biting rebuke to Guru Maharaj and his followers: "Buy your new-born king a new Rolls-Royce like the one he had before/But didnt Jesus ride the lowest creature known...." The title-track closer is a poignant yet jazzy groover that sits somewhere between the music on Martyns Solid Air and Terry Calliers What Color Is Love. The sound isnt perfect here, but considering that these cassettes and reel tapes sat in a home closet or basement for nearly 50 years, it is miraculous. Ultimately, Fireside Stories is not an obscure yet average recording rescued during the digital age. It is a quiet, compelling album of beautifully written songs by a fine singer and an excellent guitarist. It belongs on the shelf of every British folk fan. ~ Thom Jurek

Tracklisting:

1.Marion Belle
2.Tell Me Now
3.Dance of the Mermaids
4.City Lights
5.The Old Soldier
6.Sunlight on the Table
7.Metropolis
8.The Prisoner
9.Braziliana
10.Then I'll Take You Home
11.Ocean of Tears
12.Fireside Story