review, Plastic Ashtray - March 2007

Glyn Bailey returns with his second solo lp to date, ‘Tales From The Illawalla’ [sic]. This album surfs through a variety of themes that have affected Bailey ranging from news reports of Clown Perverts to the realisation that big companies are ruining the planet, each track here has a different theme. The production is bigger and better than his debut and his influences clearer than ever before.

Things start off with ‘yahoo’ which reminds me of Adam Ant when he went solo, the off the wall song writing and shimmering western guitars. Bailey’s voice mimicking a younger Johnny Cash. ”The cowboys are making the law” he sings of the corporations who’s carbon emissions are killing off our future for the money. I have thought many times of this before, when the planets fucked, who’s going to need money? ‘Moonwalkers’ isn’t a song about Michael Jackson luckily, Bailey shifts back into his Julian Cope/Bowie-esque vocals. ‘Moonwalkers’ is haunting as he sings about the spacemen’s travel to the moon and the cost on governments for the space race.

‘Ghost’ sees Bailey in a poppy mood, providing an almost straight up pop moment with it’s Mick Ronson style guitar backdrop and catchy open chord changes. This is the highlight of the lp, “My Ghost is you” he sings effortlessly.
‘Glory’ sees things change pace, Bailey’s voice pitted against a female voice makes for haunting listening. Simple acoustic and gentle drumming lead this sad song. It feels like a thoughtful moment in an old western. ‘Zizou's Big Day’ takes us back to the World Cup with Zidane’s stupidity, leading his team out on the pitch as his last game for France. Silly boy, there’s your red card. The Italians have always been good actors. Bailey tells the tale as if he was there. He’s a good story teller and has put together an amusing tale of Zidane's downfall.

‘School Reunion’ takes a different trip, almost recalling an early REM with it’s poppy stomp of the drums and guitar sound. It’s a cringing tale of that horrible time when people go back and meet people they went to school with and no one remembers you! Baileys voice again recalling Bowie, “I like your trousers!/still in fashion after all these years?” he sings. He’s got a knack of putting in the humour without it coming across naff or stupid.

Glyn Bailey’s Songs From The Old Illawalla is a varied and personal album which not only runs through his own life but his thoughts and feelings as far and wide as they come. If you like a chuckle at someone else’s expense you could do worse than buy this album. As varied as they come, with songs fit to match.

Pete Stanley - © 2007 Plastic Ashtray