Album, Single and EP Reviews


 

 

  Twelve Tall Tales by Tucker and The Scattered Family


Twelve Tall Tales cover art

Artist: Tucker and The Scattered Family
Title: Twelve Tall Tales
Catalogue Number: No catalogue number
Review Format: CD
Release Year: 2010



One, two, three - there's a story to be told. An everyman's tale of a life less extraordinary and Tucker and The Scattered People are here to tell it. Featuring the world weary vocals of Andy Tucker (ex Dead Beat Club) and a healthy dose of sentiment, there are twelve songs here that reflect the trials and tribulations of daily life.

However, there is also a degree of inconsistency on show. While there is a simple elegance to songs like "Look Me Up" where Kim Edgar wraps her voice around Andy's tones, that does make a song like "The Great Bear" seem clumsy by comparison. High points included "Domestic Chores of the Heart" that betrays a dark sense of humour as the pleasures of long term domestic bliss gets reviewed and "A Fine Romance" that takes a good natured poke at the homoerotic relationship between a man and his best friend and easily raises a smile while doing so. The main commercial appeal of the album would have to be the anthemic "Fractions".

I can't say that the production values impressed though with Andy sounding like he has been drinking Tesco Value Lager instead of the preferred medicine of Jack Daniels. Now maybe that is a stylistic choice- much like when a singer performs a song in a key too high for their natural voice - but it does at times highlight a certain awkwardness in Andy's approach to a song that distracts from the very valid message (and charm) in his music.

Available to buy on iTunes.


www.myspace.com/thescatteredfamily
Reviewer:
Review Date: April 18 2010