Dear reader, I unfortunately have to make a confession that might seem scandalous. The mighty ChaosZx2, in all its wisdom and glory, has its limits. How do I come to this, you ask?
This review is about "Paul Ansell’s Number Nine" with the album "Money And Lies" and presents itself as a pure country record. Oh boy, something is coming my way.
Since I understand about as much of country music as I do of quantum mechanics or higher mathematics, I had to come up with something to still be able to discuss this record. And lo and behold: I will use my mighty abilities to put myself into the mind of my father – who is a true country fan – since he is a genuine fan. Let's see what I can glean from his head…
"What has my offspring dragged in? 'Paul Ansell’s Number Nine'? I am skeptical, as I am used to noise and racket from my sprout, but the cover looks a bit different than I expected. A man with an acoustic guitar and a cowboy hat adorns the cover, and a very stylish font dresses the front and back of the container…maybe I should give him a chance after all? Well, let's have a listen… but if he has foisted some nonsense on me, he will be in for it!
I am thrilled! Incredible! I can't stop singing praises! My son may be a daydreamer and a good-for-nothing, but this CD makes up for almost all his misdeeds!
The combo from the United Kingdom offers a total of 19 songs, which is quite a hefty cushion. Normally, there are 16, and the last three songs are just a small bonus. Despite the abundance of songs, I have already listened through and was left in awe, which I can tell by the fact that the hour hand on the wall clock is suddenly pointing somewhere else. Out of the entire range, there are perhaps three songs that didn't hit my taste, but the rest is absolutely grand! Especially the span from the second to the sixth song is absolutely fantastic.
What did my wife say quite aptly? "A voice like milk and honey." Truly, she hit the nail on the head! The voice strongly resembles Elvis Presley and is wonderfully accompanied musically. The instruments are clearly understandable, very nicely coordinated, and would make me want to dance if I weren't still in my work clothes…which, by the way, I've been wearing since the beginning. It's incredible how much the music has captivated and distracted me until now.
I will also show this masterpiece to my enthusiastic country friend; he must hear this too. I am sure he will also enjoy it. Man, man, what would I give for a stay in the Wild West, sitting in a saloon, listening to this music in the background, and watching the dancing beauties while sipping a cold beer. Everything would be atmospherically perfect, and nothing would be out of place! Instead, I could also get up and dance with my wife, as I feel invited to do so. But at my age, I prefer to sit quietly on the sofa, listen to the wonderful sounds and the very gentle voice, and tap my foot to the beat… I indulge in this moment!
Wow, I didn't expect that… since when does my old man think in terms of "tracks" or "combo"? And what's with the fantasy of the "dancing beauties"? Ugh, I wish I had left that alone!!
Well, there's not much to be done about it. The fact is, however, that the record has immediately won over two seasoned music lovers at once. And that means a lot. If I may quote my mother at this point: "You know, this is creepy. This 'Paul Ansell' sounds like the heroes from our childhood and even manages to sound much better in some parts. It's really creepy." I probably don't need to elaborate on how my father feels about this work. He too has fallen under the spell of the Paul Ansell group.
At this point, however, one thing should be clear: Those who can hardly relate to acoustic guitars, bluesy bass, gentle drums, a country voice, and even pianos should not even try with this CD. Here, you get the Wild West in its purest form. And stylistic deviations will also be sought in vain. Although I must admit that as a non-adherent of the country cult, I find one or two songs really great. Maybe there are also one or two who can actually relate to "Paul and his cattle driver crew"… even if it's just two or three pieces.
The rest, however, those who are a bit older or simply love this kind of music, can confidently go for it. It offers music at a very high level and knows how to entertain both in the short and long term. So come on, you cowboys and cowgirls, take the nearest bull (not the one in uniform) or the free steam locomotive, head to the next music dealer you trust, and let yourself be enchanted by "Paul Ansell’s Number Nine". Whether you want to dance or just ride the sound wave, "Money And Lies" is the perfect companion for that.
Yeeehaw!
