Album Review: Song Of the Smoke by Anne Watts and Boister

Album Name: Song Of the Smoke
Artist: Anne Watts and Boister
Year/Label: 2002 / Last Call Records

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Review by Anna Maria Stjärnell

Anne Watts’ second cd has its feet firmly in the blues tradition and its head in the cabaret world. Watts’ fluid voice is a more than capable instrument and the eclectic sounds never lets her down.

On the opening “Song of the Smoke” she sets a Berthold Brecht text to music to great effect. She is clearly influenced by Tom waits and other modern masters but her own talent is obvious.

The playful “Arrow” is a stunning tune with some great singing by Watts. On “Grieg’s Cheeks” she takes Grieg’s “Hall of the Mountain King” and uses Irving Berlin’s lyrics to “Cheek to Cheek”. The result is less bizarre than it might have been. Thanks to Watts’ deft sense of pace it works perfectly.

Anne Watts is a magpie in the best sense, taking bits from various music traditions and reshaping them in her own image. “Song of the Smoke” is never less than riveting.

Posted on March 3, 2002

Track Listing
Listen to track samples
1. Song of the Smoke
2. Anything Liquid
3. Arrow
4. Nickelodeon
5. Hinder
6. Track
7. Grieg’s Cheeks
8. Float Your Boat
9. Busted Egg
10. Pound
11. Good scrap Metal
12. Flutter Can

[Anne Watts and Boister Official Site]

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