| 1 | GODS GOOD EARTH | 7-10 | |
| 2 | BETTER NEIGHBOURS | 4-25 |  |
| 3 | FOR THE HUNDREDS OF SAILS | 4-58 | |
| 4 | THE BADGERS RETREAT | 3-56 | |
| 5 | GRANNY GOES DANCING ON THURSDAYS | 3-28 | |
| 6 | SPARROWFALL | 2-57 | |
| 7 | THE ANGELS WERE THERE FOR ME | 3-56 | |
| 8 | WAKE FROM ANGELS FACES | 6-53 | |
| 9 | TOPICAL TIMOTHY | 4-25 | |
| 10 | THE POOR MANS SNOW | 3-57 | |
Builders dust all over the place, a decent breakfast impossible, I retire to a hole in the chaos to place the virtual needle onto the digital platter of Mr Whittall's latest offering, a fun filled family all welcome extravaganza of good old English pop music. Hurrah, it's back! No, don't wake XTC, Gilbert (yes, Gilbert) O'Sullivan,or even Lord(surely they've done it by now) McCartney from their quite exemplary slumbering, they won't be needed now that we have 'Bees & Hares' to salve us with it's honey teaspoon, pull back the curtains darling, sunny soothing balm.
'God's Good Earth' sets the tone with strong vocals, a call to scamper with kittens in the back garden, get the dog out for a good walk, and more than this, we're together, life could be good right here, right now, for goodness sake turn the TV news down and put the kettle on, there's lovely! 'Better Neighbours' jigs off with jolly piano, gentle guitar, and a lyric than leans back on the party wall and says 'we've got sugar if you're desperate, but don't step on my best begonias when you hop the fence, ya bugger, all-right!' Beautiful ending, not unlike 'Space Oddity' to my lugholes
'For the Hundreds of Sails' is like waking up after too much cider in the back of a west country folk club to find the banjo boys have finished and bogged off to the bar, leaving a new singer singing a song that weaves it's heartfelt melody around your heartstrings, bringing tears to dry eyes, not to be sorrowful but, again the theme in this collection I reckon, to love, love, love(it's all you need, after all – where's my dinner!?). 'Badger's Retreat' is Looney tunes for grown ups, with Bonzo Badger, dada keyboards, mumbles, grumbles, and well, I'll not spoil it, purchase to get best benefit dears. The eccentricity continues into the melancholy but wonderful 'Granny Goes Dancing on Thursdays' which leads gently into 'Sparrow fall' a haunting poem, and is followed by 'The Angels were There for Me', a smashing slice of fruity- it could only happen here- pop with the immortal line 'Drink Barley water like everyone oughta!' Is my bath ready? 'Wake from Angels Faces' is sensuously layered with glimpses of synthesizer folk tunes and a mournful lyric that pulls you down into a place of deep personal reflection. Then, just as the tissue box is emptying faster than a box of chocs at a weight watchers convention, along comes the jaunty angled 'Topical Timothy' to lift our spirits again and it's back in the village where we're all slightly barmy but the kettle's singing on the electric hob and everyone's up for croquet later, or at least a buttered scone with jam and a dollop. You won't want to leave, not if you've seen what's out there. 'The Poor Man's Snow' goes right up my pipe with it's crisp acoustic textures and folk melody, great lyrics, and finishes this great long player (love the moderns but let me call it that) in a most delightful way. It's all here for those with ears to see, eyes to eye-eye, and hearts to open out. Here's the key, keep it safe, and don't be too late home, especially when it gets dark. I think a purchase could be in order. Ah, Mr O'Reilly, about the position of this new door!
The Family Album by Paul Whittall
A musical journey around my family. The opening piece '86 not out' was composed in celebration of my mum Edna's 86th birthday. She died in February 2007, after moving down to Devon at Christmastime, 'Midnight Moon and Stars (the kittens of Pippin our black cat. What a delight they all were, Tog's kitties were too. 'Parcumpericum', a piping little pot of joy, especially for Alison dad, Duf(a grand fellow who I knew for too little time. 'Hold the Morning' waiting for the most beautiful woman in the world. and afraid of being bitten by the very small ones in 'Sleepy little creature over there'. 'Flow' for the children that were to come and dreaming of love in the early mornings at misty railway stations. "Watch the ripples, seek the sparkles, all around".Then its all about the Poglehound. Firstly the hound yet to arrive in 'Out you go my lad' and then we call upon Pogle, as a pup in, 'Pogles Lullaby'. "Don't stray from my arms you little hound" 'Crown of May' a poem written at Beltane for my forthcoming wedding to Alison and 'Respond to Me' about our house and all the goings on of the animals and visiting types, including Rosemary and various vicars. Pogle is very much in evidence here And finally to 'There's a Friend' and the lakes at Shobrooke Park, "oh let's go down to the bridges", were we almost being burgled? then realising that all is well and that a new friend is just round the the corner, even if he is doing the most awful things. Isn't that enough for now, yes of course it is.
| 1 | 86 NOT OUT | 3-57 | |
| 2 | MIDNIGHT MOON AND STARS | 4-25 | |
| 3 | PARCUMPERICUM | 4-58 | |
| 4 | HOLD THE MORNING | 3-56 | |
| 5 | SLEEPY LITTLE CREATURE OVER THERE | 3-28 | |
| 6 | FLOW | 2-57 | |
| 7 | OUT YOU GO MY LAD | 2-57 | |
| 8 | POGLES LULLABY | 3-56 | |
| 9 | CROWN OF MAY | 6-53 | |
| 10 | RESPOND TO ME | 4-25 | |
| 11 | THERES A FRIEND | 3-57 | |