Thoughts from the litter tray

India & Bhutan Mar 2012

Lake District Nov 11

Berlin Sept 2011

South Bank & Westminster Sept 2011

Deer Owls Polecats & Others

Red Squirrels, Red Foxes, Wild Cats

20C Society in Herts & Docklands

Silk Road 2011

For anyone who hasnt yet tried the music of John Howard this, his latest, is definitely the album to start with. It is the work of an artist at his peak - lavishing attention on both his words and music to stunning effect. The music here is resonant of the love and craftsmanship that went into classics such as Sgt Pepper or Pet Sounds (and no I don't consider that to be an overstatement). Quite why John Howard isn't better known and regarded is a mystery - possibly because he performs so rarely.

The beautifully crafted pop songs are a setting for undeniably adult themes - ageing death infidelity dementia dissatisfaction with a long-term relationship, the loss of friends. The music is often so joyous that only careful attention discloses the sorrow in many of the lyrics.

There a echoes of so many classic pop songs here but in a positive and not plagiaristic fashion - Forgetful brings to mind both the magnificence of A Day in the Life and the sadness of the Pet Shop Boys' Being Boring; Dying Day classic Beach Boys; Not Forgotten - both Fairytale of New York and Sowing the Seeds of Love with an extraordinarily moving climax. Many of the tracks are quite epic in their multi-layered structure with some quite extraordinary effects - Not Forgotten has an unsettling sound like 2 high speed trains menacing each other.