
RICHARD JAMES: The Rough Guide To Folly
By Tony Parker
Not much is known (by me, at least) about Richard James. Little information can be gleaned from the cover of this album apart from the fact that he probably comes from Christchurch and that he sang and played everything on this record. Consequently there is a lo-fi vibe with rudimentary rhythms and guitar sounds that go from twang to fuzz and back again, often in the same song. Moving through the album you can hear bits of Bowie and Talking Heads along with hints of '60s psychedelia and '80s new wave, and in amongst the fuzziness of the music there are definitely some songs trying to escape. Unfortunately, even though James has a way with melody and interesting chord changes, the musical weirdness tends to hide this and inevitably makes for an uneasy listening experience.
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