Album Name: Suburban Pastoral
Artist: Helen McCookerybook
Year/Label: 2006 / Big Song Records
[Buy at Helen McCookerybook Official Site]
Review by Amy Lotsberg Producer of Collected Sounds
First off, could this woman’s name be any sweeter? Her style (musically anyway) is somewhere in the traditional folky, amusing realm. She reminds me of Christine Lavin at times, though not nearly as goofy.
These songs are well written if a little predictable. No real surprises here, but that’s OK. It makes it very comfortable.
The production is quite minimal. That is, no layered vocals, sweeping sounds, etc. There are a lot of other instruments (sax, trumpet, cello, accordion to name a few), but it still has a minimalist feel for the most part. With Helen’s sweet voice and catchy songs this is a nice record. I can’t help wanting to call it ‘sweet’ again. Stop me!
I don’t want you to think it’s lacking substance it’s not. It’s just sort of a quiet little album and sometimes that is just what we need.
Posted on February 15, 2007
Track Listing
1. Dreaming of You
2. Heaven Avenue
3. Temptation
4. Don’t Know Why
5. Hill of Fools
6. Running Away
7. Colour My Day
8. Swan
9. Britannia Great
10. Hymn to Kent
11. The Word is, Goodbye
12. London
13. Once in a Blue Moon
14. Songbird