Notes & Rhymes
| Notes & Rhymes | |
|---|---|
| Studio album by | |
| Released | 15 June 2009 |
| Recorded | at Rockfield Studios by Tom Dalgety, 2008–2009 |
| Genre | |
| Length | 46:16 |
| Label | W14 Music |
| Producer | Steve Evans |
| The Proclaimers chronology | |
Notes & Rhymes is the eighth studio album by Scottish folk rock duo the Proclaimers, released in 2009. It was produced by Steve Evans and recorded at Rockfield Studios.
Background and release
[edit ]The European release was on 15 June 2009, with the US release on 11 August 2009. It was simultaneously released as both the standard CD and a 'Special Limited Edition' 2-CD set, the latter being a double, slimline jewel-case. CD2 has ten tracks: four acoustic and six live. The acoustic tracks were produced by John Williams, who had produced the Proclaimers' debut album This Is the Story .
The album, including the bonus CD, was also released as a digital download.
Content
[edit ]Musical style
[edit ]The Guardian opined the band on Notes & Rhymes to be "stoutly sticking to their Celtic pop formula".[2] PopMatters detailed the "countrified sobriety" of "It's Always Easy" on what it observed was "otherwise a rock record".[3]
Singles and songs
[edit ]On 11 June 2009, "I Know" was offered free by Amazon UK as a digital download 'sampler' for the album. "Love Can Move Mountains" was the single release, having its first play on Scotland's Forth 1 radio station on Wednesday 6 May. "Sing All Our Cares Away" is a cover of a Damien Dempsey song, which featured on his 2005 album "Shots". "It Was Always So Easy (To Find An Unhappy Woman)" is a cover of the title track of Moe Bandy's 1974 album.
Lyrical themes
[edit ]The lyrics in Notes & Rhymes concerned a variety of topics including love ("Love Can Move Mountains", "Three More Days"),[4] unemployment ("Sing All Our Cares Away"),[4] and war ("I Know").[4]
Critical reception
[edit ]| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | [1] |
| BBC Music | Favourable[4] |
| PopMatters | Mixed[3] |
| Record Collector | [5] |
The record received largely positive reception. Michael Quinn of BBC Music described Notes & Rhymes as an "elegant combination of country, pop, bluegrass and soapbox pontificating" with "not a note out of place or a lazy lyric in sight".[4]
In October 2009, PopMatters's Andrew Dietzel acknowledged the record was "not without its shortcomings", but was nevertheless largely praising, commenting that Notes & Rhymes "shows that the talent didn’t run completely dry two decades ago" and lauding the song "It's Always Easy" as "enough to make even Merle Haggard smile".[3]
Terry Staunton gave a mostly favourable review of Notes & Rhymes, particularly praising the lyrics; describing The Proclaimers as "lyrically astute as Chris Difford at his best".[5]
Touring
[edit ]The Proclaimers embarked on an extensive worldwide tour following the release of Notes & Rhymes. The band played six dates in Australia and three in New Zealand alongside The B-52's.[6]
Track listing
[edit ]All songs written by Craig Reid and Charlie Reid, except indicated
Disc One
- "Love Can Move Mountains"
- "Notes & Rhymes"
- "Three More Days"
- "Just Look Now"
- "Sing All Our Cares Away" (Damien Dempsey)
- "It Was Always So Easy (To Find an Unhappy Woman)" (Sanger Shafer, Arthur Owens, Snr.)
- "Like a Flame"
- "I Know"
- "Shadows Fall"
- "Free Market"
- "Wages of Sin"
- "On Causewayside"
- "I Know" (reprise)
Disc Two
- "Love Can Move Mountains" (Rockfield acoustic session)
- "Three More Days" (Rockfield acoustic session)
- "Sing All Our Cares Away" (Rockfield acoustic session)
- "It Was Always So Easy (To Find an Unhappy Woman)" (Rockfield acoustic session)
- "I'm On My Way" (live at Edinburgh Castle, July 2008)
- "Letter from America" (live at Edinburgh Castle, July 2008)
- "Scotland's Story" (live at Edinburgh Castle, July 2008)
- "Sky Takes The Soul" (live at Edinburgh Castle, July 2008)
- "Life With You" (live at Edinburgh Castle, July 2008)
- "Whole Wide World" (live at Edinburgh Castle, July 2008)
Personnel
[edit ]- Craig Reid – vocals
- Charlie Reid – vocals, acoustic guitar
- Zac Ware – pedal steel guitar, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, ukulele
- Stevie Christie – piano, hammond organ, accordion, keyboards
- Garry John Kane – bass guitar, double bass
- Clive Jenner – drums, percussion
- Steve Evans – electric guitar, piano
- Terry Edwards – tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, trumpet
- Davide Rossi – violin, viola, string arrangement
- Kevin Brown – lap steel guitar, electro-acoustic guitar, electric guitar
- Joanna Nye – backing vocals
Chart
[edit ]| Chart (2009) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Scottish Albums (OCC)[7] | 4 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[8] | 30 |
References
[edit ]- ^ a b Monger, James Christopher. "Notes & Rhymes - The Proclaimers - Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
- ^ a b "CD: Pop review: The Proclaimers". The Guardian. The Guardian. 14 June 2009. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
- ^ a b c d Dietzel, Andrew (6 October 2009). "The Proclaimers: Notes and Rhymes". PopMatters. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
- ^ a b c d e Quinn, Michael. "The Proclaimers - Notes & Rhymes - Review". BBC - Music. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
- ^ a b Staunton, Terry (24 May 2009). "Notes & Rhymes - The Proclaimers". Record Collector. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
- ^ "A day on the green - with The B52s, The Proclaimers and more". UndertheRadar. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "Proclaimers | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart.