Plainsong
Dark Side of the Room
By Ralph Burnett What do you get when you cross four singing guitarists and a folk-rock groove? The re-emergence of the English folk-rock "super group" Plainsong and, of course, a whole lotta' memorable lyrics. Here's a sample from a song titled "Unusual Girl" on their Mesa release Dark Side of the Room: Well you know the old woman who lived in a shoe Her Ridiculous life, it reminds me of you You've got so many plans and you haven't a clue You're so very unusual She'll look like death warmed over twice And say she's feeling on top of the world Then she'll look at you with staircase eyes And say "what's so unusual?" Experience tells me to leave her alone 'Cause you can't get an answer when nobody's home When you soar like an eagle, then sink like a stone You're a very unusual girl. After a twenty-year hiatus (how old does that make you guys?) Plainsong still has that memorable edge. Aside from a successful solo career, Ian Mathews was a founding member of Fairport Convention. Andy Roberts has performed and recorded with Cat Stevens, Monty Python, and Pink Floyd, among others. Mark Griffiths has toured and recorded with such top acts as Al Stewart, David Essex, Deniece Williams, Duane Eddy and The Everly Brothers. Besides being a noted songwriter and session player in the Nashville area, Julian Dawson has recorded three solo albums for BMG/Ariola. You know, if we could get these guys to play with a little less dexterity, grunt a little more and sing slightly nasal, we might have the next candidate grudge-rock band for "Unplugged!" |