Song(s) of the Day # 573 Faith Healer

Here's another album released this year well worth a listen. Thanks to Rod, friend from my university days, going way, way back now who put me onto this with an e-mail yesterday afternoon. A great listening experience to wrap up the working week. Rod described it as like hearing Cate Le Bon fronting The Velvet Underground which hits the nail squarely on the head. The opening track Acid virtually lifts the groove of  Sweet Jane and then embellishes it quite beautifully, transporting it utterly to 2015.

From there the record just takes off. Second track, Again, the Velvets are a less obvious presence and the song is just a leap of joy. The album that follows is a thing of rare beauty. The only thing I can't get wholly behind is the album cover, a rather disturbing picture of uneven yellowing lower teeth which seem to belong altogether on another record.

Despite this slight caveat though I recommend the record wholeheartedly. The brainchild of Edmonton, Canada singer-songwriter Jessica Jalbert, this is a crafted distillation of old and new that shifts in mood and design from track to track, constantly surprising and soothing.  It's got an altogether beautiful personality if only someone could persuade the cover star of the record to kindly close their mouth.

There are darker emotions here at work as well I guess. But that's life. Perhaps you have to experience the bad to really appreciate the good. The record chugs, (a good word to describe any record that takes the lead from the late sixties Velvets sensibility and takes it somewhere new),  from darkness up towards the light and back again that makes for a very pleasurable rollercoaster ride. It's a constant and pleasant surprise,  Listening to each song unwrap is a joyous process of discovery.

It's also led me to start the weekend proper on Saturday morning by playing the Velvet 1969 record, perhaps the best live rock album ever made to really get things going. So all in all a win win situation.