The Slow Show WHITE WATER. Haldern Pop Recordings

“For us, success is to get people really listening. We’ve had audiences fall quiet and people come up to us in tears. It’s strange, but it’s incredibly touching when people react like that”” — Rob Goodwin, singer, The Slow Show.

When I first listened to this album I thought I was listening to an American band with lead singer Rob Goodwin’s very genuine sounding vocal twang. But reading on and I discovered that The Slow Show comes from 40 miles down the road from me in Manchester and I began to wonder… Why oh why doesn’t he (and many others) sing with an English (or Manchester) accent? It’s my one criticism of this wonderful record that could have been so much more distinctive in it’s home accent. There is so much to admire here including its hugely creative use of modern and classical instruments, intelligent and moving song-writing and a rich baritone voice that brings home the bacon every time - spoken and sung.

First track ‘Dresden’, opens with beautiful, haunting opening operatic choral vocals of Musica Sacra De Maria Virgine (kind permission of K&K Verlagsanstalt). Piano notes arrive to accompany the classical voices before Goodwin’s spoken vocal enters and the alt-country/rock vibe wanders gently onto the scene. It’s a beautifully judged and convincing love song. ‘Long Way Home’ is next with its very simple, stripped down instrumental backdrop bringing Goodwin’s voice into sharp and clear focus. There’s a successful mix of spoken and sung words from Goodwin whose voice is one of the most moving to listen to (yes, even with that dreadful American accent). The melody’s strong while production is peerless.

‘Bloodline’ is another compelling song with its relentless fast flowing pace, stunning brass instrument passages and strong melody. This time the words are sung and convince totally that Goodwin has very special vocal talents. It’s a song of epic proportions. The pace slows with ‘Testing’ which ends up being a gorgeous ballad with its orchestral string flourishes and a voice which reflects the song’s sentiments so accurately. ‘Brother’ opens with single piano notes and orchestral strings before Goodwin and rock instruments arrive to blend in so well. The song is arguably one of the best here with heartfelt lyrics I guess will resonate with many listeners: “Oh brother, all these years/you sat me down to talk me through those fears/You’re too young to leave me brother/Those days we’ve had, won’t ever pass me by.”

The gently swaying ‘Bad Day’ boasts a truckload of melody and some of the most fragile and beautiful string passages here. ‘Flowers To Burn’ sees the return of a mournful brass section as it moves along at glacial pace. While the songs here could be loosely described as ‘dark’ the way they have been arranged, produced and performed also gives them an optimistic tone. That’s supremely clever! ‘Lucky You, Lucky Me’ is another example of how cleverly the instruments are used. In this instance they waft around subtly in the background behind a faintly echoed vocal before coming into the foreground with guitar dominating proceedings. Goodwin returns half spoken, half singing in the most contemplative and moving way.

This is a lovely album from a band that exhibits real skill, attention to detail and integrity by the ton. I still wonder about Goodwin’s (in my view unnecessary) American accent but strongly recommend this band and album. Can’t wait to see them perform live.

4.5/5

Background

The Manchester band’s use of choirs and a colliery brass band gives them a distinctly northern sound, but singer Rob Goodwin’s baritone sounds more like a distant relation of Johnny Cash than anything from the English North West.Together since 2010, The Slow Show had only played a few gigs before landing their first big break the following year when they were picked to support Elbow Live In Concert at Manchester Cathedral.

In March 2015, The Slow Show will release their debut album White Water. Recorded over the past year in Blueprint studios in Manchester, the album will be the first UK release on German label Haldern Pop Recordings, the label formed by the team behind the successful Haldern Pop Festival.

Recording the album has been slow and steady for financial as well as artistic reasons. As Rob explains, “Every time we wanted a string section, we had to save up”, wryly adding that getting the 30-piece brass Glossop Old Band into a studio presented various logistical difficulties. However, they were determined that such exquisitely personal songs could be presented as perfectly as possible.

The songs on White Water are deeply intimate, yet with themes that strike a universal chord. The bleakly anthemic Brother – the band’s sole release to date – was inspired by a conversation Rob had with his grandfather, who revealed that in his teens he’d lost his 16-year old brother to cancer, the “saddest moment in my life.” Rob found himself being so moved by this story that the beautifully wistful words – “Let’s go back to football fields and backyard alleyways, before God let you down, boy, and took you away” - just poured out of him.

Another song, Bloodline, is about an adopted family member who went searching for her roots. Augustine is another song about a last goodbye and the deeply melancholy Bad Day is self-explanatory, although the single Dresden (and the “dark tales from the Dresden dens”) has been inspired by their European adventures. There is the deeply affecting God Only Knows (not a Beach Boys cover), which utilises the brass section for maximum emotional impact and is described by Rob as “a song about growing old with the people you love.”

The Slow Show are:

Rob Goodwin (vocals, guitar)
Frederik ‘t Kindt (keyboards)
Joel Byrne-McCullough (lead guitar)
Chris Hough (drums)
James Longden (bass)