The spirit of Punk and Skiffle combine for a joyous hoedown
The title track Anarchy Skiffle opens the album and any preconceptions of this being a noisy album (Heaven forbid if you know Helen) as a gently pair of acoustic guitars and a slap bass accompany the delightful Ms. McCookerybook sweetly sings about the many things in life that confuse us, the older we get.
The Bachelor Boys is the longest track here; coming in at 3 minutes and 14 seconds but it’s a wonderful little romp about a woman looking back at her Tomboy youth and gently pokes fun at the males in her life.
My favourite track Magpie is another lovely ditty and features Colin Mee whistling; which is quite some feet to do in tune, and the love song is the nearest I actually recognise as Skiffle and I’d like to think if he was alive today Lonnie Donegan would like to have a go at recording it.
If you’re ever looking for someone to record a tribute album to Doris Day you shouldn’t look past Helen as Rose of the Soul’s Desire and the Airship Song conjure up those Sunday afternoon films that your Mother loved and make you go all warm in the tummy area thinking about them.
Nothing on the album ever gets out of third gear; and that’s the whole point as this is Helen, lover/partner Martin Stephenson and friends Colin Mee, Johnny Cavener (bass) and guitar player to the stars Jim Hornsby are having a rare old time bouncing along country roads in an old jalopy with the roof down and the radio on.
For me Anarchy Skiffle is the perfect accompaniment to a Summer’s eve and a couple of bottles of something cold and alcoholic.
http://mccookerybook.blogspot.co.uk/
http://helenmccookerybook.bandcamp.com/album/anarchy-skiffle
The Rocking Magpie 