Phil Alvin - County Fair 2000
by Daniel Cressey
published: 18 / 4 / 2015
Label:
Select Label
Format: N/A
intro
Dan Cressey reflects on 'County Fair 2000', Blasters' front man Phil Alvin's 1994 second solo album, which, recently reissued, finds him moving away from rock and roll and experimenting with jazz and blues
Phil Alvin is best known for bringing the world the Blasters - a gloriously no-nonsense rock and roll band. On this re-release he shows an appreciation of other aspects of American music with a strong dose of blues and jazz toning down the swinging rockabilly noise. It is hard to imagine a regular rocker throwing in the big band style ‘What’s the Reason I’m Not Pleasin’ You’, as Alvin does here, much less blending Sun Ra’s ‘Ankh’ with trad. arr. tune ‘Didn’t He Ramble’, as seen on this album’s closing track. Meanwhile ‘Keep In Touch’ channels Alvin’s normally bluesy holler into a country ballad. Perhaps even more surprisingly this collection of disparate Americana influences hangs together as a project and Alvin pulls together the guesting blues man, a brass section, a jazz band and his old friends the Blasters into a cohesive album. This is an easy going ride that may not be going anywhere in particular, but it has an unexpected depth to it. With the point of reissues in a internet age seeming mainly to be milking a dedicated fan base with the excuse of an extra track of dubious quality and new cover design, this stands out as a rare exception. 'Country Fair 2000' is two decades old. It more than stands the test of time.
Track Listing:-
Also In ReView
Andreas Dorau (2022)
Andrew Gold (2023)
Anthony Moore (2022)
Bark Psychosis (2018)
Beatles (2023)
Bert Jansch (2020)
Bert Jansch (2019)
Beth Orton (2014)
Big Eyes Family (2021)
Billy Idol (2018)
Bitter Springs (2021)
Blind Mr Jones (2015)
Blondie (2022)
Blue Nile (2014)
Bodines (2023)
Boyracer (2023)
Breathless (2016)
Brinsley Schwarz (2017)
Cardiacs (2014)
Chvrches (2014)
David Bowie (2022)
David Gray (2020)
Death and Vanilla (2016)
Donald Fagen (2021)
Earthworks (2020)
Flamin Groovies (2015)
Gene Clark (2019)
Giant Sand (2018)
Gomez (2018)
Gong (2015)
Grace Jones (2016)
Grace Jones (2014)
Graham Day and the Forefathers (2019)
Hawks (2021)
Hawkwind (2022)
Hot Pepper (2018)
Ian A. Anderson (2021)
Ian Dury (2021)
Iron Butterfly (2014)
John Cooper Clarke (2016)
Joni Mitchell (2021)
Keith Richards (2022)
Lapre (2020)
Lemonheads (2022)
Loft (2021)
Madness (2014)
McCarthy (2015)
Mercury Rev (2019)
Miscellaneous (2020)
Miscellaneous (2014)
Monochrome Set (2015)
Mothmen (2015)
Motorpsycho (2015)
Neil Innes (2020)
New Musik (2023)
One Thousand Violins (2023)
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (2015)
Orchids (2023)
Party Day (2021)
Pele (2017)
Phil Ochs (2016)
Primitives (2015)
Prolapse (2022)
Roger Mcguinn (2018)
Rubik (2021)
Sorrow (2018)
T. Rex (2023)
Television Personalities (2018)
Terry Allen (2016)
Thin Lizzy (2023)
Townes Van Zandt (2015)
Trashmen (2020)
Ty Segall (2022)
UB40 (2015)
Various (2022)
Various (2022)
VIPS (2020)
Wolfhounds (2015)
Zz Top (2018)
Band Links:-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_AlvinPicture Gallery:-
most viewed articles
current edition
Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies - Sala Apolo, Barcelona, 29/11/2023 and La Paqui, Madrid, 30/11/2023Anthony Phillips - Interview
Difford and Tilbrook - Difford and Tilbrook
Rain Parade - Interview
Oldfield Youth Club - Interview
Autumn 1904 - Interview
Shaw's Trailer Park - Interview
Cafe No. 9, Sheffield and Grass Roots Venues - Comment
Pete Berwick - ‘Too Wild to Tame’: The story of the Boyzz:
Chris Hludzik - Vinyl Stories
previous editions
Microdisney - The Clock Comes Down the StairsWorld Party - Interview
Michael Lindsay Hogg - Interview
Heavenly - P.U.N.K. Girl EP
Ain't That Always The Way - Alan Horne After The Sound of Young Scotland 2
World Party - Interview with Karl Wallinger
Joy Division - The Image That Made Me Weep
Steve Harley - Interview
Dwina Gibb - Interview
Prisoners - Interview
most viewed reviews
current edition
Marika Hackman - Big SighSerious Sam Barrett - A Drop of the Morning Dew
Rod Stewart and Jools Holland - Swing Fever
Loves - True Love: The Most of The Loves
Ian M Bailey - We Live in Strange Times
Paul McCartney and Wings - Band on the Run
Autumn 1904 - Tales of Innocence
Roberta Flack - Lost Takes
Banter - Heroes
Posey Hill - No Clear Place to Fall
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart