Andy Thornton

Item: The Things You Never Say
Author: James Stewart

The Things You Never Say

(2000)

Reviewed by James Stewart

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Label Dubious?The Phantom Tollbooth2000

folk rock singer-songwriter

Having already brought us last year's magnificent solo album from Andy Thornton (currently working out his last few months as Greenbelt festival manager), Dubious Recordings used this year's Greenbelt festival to launch themselves on the world with these three EPs.

Andy Thornton's EP presents three songs from the album alongside a familiar live track. "The Things You Never Say" and "One Less Holy" appear in the same form as on the album, while "She Won't Talk to Me" (the "pop single" from the album) gets a radical makeover with a swirling, silky organ replacing the driving guitar of the original. I think I prefer the original, but it's a fun alternative take on a great tune. "Shake the Moon Down", the new recording of the release, is a mellower tune with lyrics focused on a breaking relationship. The four tracks combine to showcase a songwriter with a repertoire of delicate and penetrating songs.

Terry Gonda has a soft and relaxing voice which when coupled with the slightly "reminiscent" nature of her songs brings to mind an image of a tranquil small town in her native USA. Finger-picked acoustic guitar forms the backing for her songs, accompanied in places by gentle violin generating a soft easily-listenable sound without slipping into generic predictability.

Ant Parker will be known to many as the founder of popular speed-folk act, Why? Having dissolved the band a year ago now (although the other members of the final lineup have since resuscitated it), he too has entered the singer-songwriter fold. His new writing may not bear quite the exuberance that we're used to from Why? (although the funky-piano of "Probably True" won't surprise anyone) and is still a little rough around the edges, but there are some nice hooks and plenty of promise.

Three EPs which suggest Dubious will be a label well deserving of attention from anyone who enjoys singer-songwriters who sit on the fringe of popular attention, these may well also serve as an all-too-brief introduction to three extremely promising artists.