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Newbury's genre-defying night of music




Paul James and The Drowned Lovers with support from HendrickxRoy at Arlington Arts on Thursday, May 26 Review by BRIAN HARRINGTON

If ever a show proved beyond doubt that folk/country music is incredibly diverse and varied, this was it. Trying to pigeon-hole music in to genres is, at best, risky - tonight it would have been totally inappropriate.

The Newbury area featured large, in that HendricksRoy and Paul James both have strong ties to the town and both paid tribute by covering a track each, by the much loved local singer/songwriter, the late Des Simmons, who they knew well.

HendrickxRoy, picture Brian Harrington
HendrickxRoy, picture Brian Harrington
Paul James with HendrickxRoy, picture Brian Harrington
Paul James with HendrickxRoy, picture Brian Harrington
Paul James, picture Brian Harrington
Paul James, picture Brian Harrington

Local duo HendrickxRoy, (Maia Hendrickx and Calum Roy) opened proceedings with an excellent and inventive set featuring Calum on a range of acoustic guitars and Maia on electric bass.

Playing a mixture of self-penned tracks and some surprising covers, which had been reimagined and rearranged very creatively they impressed and entertained in equal measure. The new song Know Who You Are and Rust Belt Town were excellent examples of the former while All Cried Out (Alison Moyet) and No Ordinary Love (Sade) were superbly given new life.

Paul James joined them to play sax on a version of Des Simmons' Down To The River.

Paul James And the Drowned Lovers are about to commence a mini European tour and put on a set rich in complex rhythms and intricate arrangements, an aural jigsaw that requires hugely skilled musicianship. A highly accomplished multi-instrumentalist, Paul is a member of the near legendary Blowzabella. His band are equally gifted and impressive. Again, there was a mix of original material and covers. Opening with what Paul described as "a Medieval song about dying for love" before playing the standard Drowned Lover this was a masterclass in folk being taken in to original and unexpected directions. The instrumental Once There Was A Lone Wolf was amazing and his cover of Des Simmons' Big Corn truly poignant.

The encore of Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want (a Smiths song) was the final, excellent twist, in a night full of inventive and creative music.



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