Charming tour souvenir that serves as a reminder that a great voice and great songs doesn’t need much production
This is a bit of an odd release as only three songs are actually new and three come from Anna Coogan’s 2011 release THE WASTED OCEAN. Two are from THE NOCTURNAL AMONG US, which was only released in 2009 and it also features the concert show-stopper The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. In their defense, Coogan and Fiaschi have re-interpreted some of the earlier songs in a breathtaking fashion creating a ‘must-have’ album for lovers of female singers.
The album was recorded in two days at the Nowhere Studios in Rome and only consists of Anna Coogan’s silky smooth voice and acoustic guitar plus Daniele Fiaschi on electric and acoustic guitars and occasional harmonies.
Indian Son, which opens the album, is the first of the three new songs and is stunning as the two voices harmonize like siblings; yet the duo can hardly speak each other’s languages. This track is the first of many that draws the listener to the understated yet exquisite guitar playing of the Italian, Fiaschi.
If the rest of the album had been made up of Synth-laden Euro-pop I would still urge you to part with your hard earned cash to buy it, if only for Red Shoes/Black dress, which just might be my #1 song of the year (and it’s been a great year for music). This song has all of the hallmarks of the great country songs and tells a heartbreaking story in a way I haven’t heard in years. I won’t give away the ‘story’ but, trust me; it will break your heart too.
If you were lucky enough to catch this enigmatic duo on either of their recent UK tours you won’t have forgotten their touching version of Gordon Lightfoot’s The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, as it is laden with Fiaschi’s dramatic guitar playing which compliment’s Anna’s beautiful voice throughout this classic song, and possibly makes it the definitive version.
My favourite song on the WASTED OCEAN album was Streamers. This stripped back, soul baring version is even better than the original; which is really saying something.
Again, I loved their previous adaptation of Phil Och’s The Crucifixion but, (again) this live recording, taken from a Dutch Festival, is the perfect way to end a beautiful album. The duo create a song of epic proportions just using a couple of guitars and voices – simply amazing.
release date 19th November.
The Rocking Magpie 