The Grey Picker is back, despite popular request and his new album follows in the tradition of the earlier two in being completely impossible to categorise. Shorn of his old group, The Pickettes, for reasons too banal to bother with, the Picker plays all the instruments and sings eleven originals and one traditional song. He's discovered Mandocello and tenor guitar and added these to his usual arsenal of guitar, tenor banjo, octave mandola, mandolin, whistle and harmonica.
Talented Paddy Young blends his harmonies on five tracks and plays lead guitar on two more. Multi- skilled Tom Chester also features on harmony vocals. He recorded the tracks and co-produced the CD with The Picker.
Jump in the Jordan is a song about a ruthless multi-millionaire’s futile search for redemption, desperately getting baptised by Tony Blair as he nears the Pearly Gates.
The Girls of Kinkane tells of a search for the words of a lost song and an aching to belong somewhere.
All You'll Taste Is Your Tears is a tribute to Bert Jansch whose guitar playing has inspired so many guitar players .
The Isle of Ichaboe tells of the Guano Wars of the 1840s. A dirty chapter in the soiled nappies of unfettered capitalism. rare sound redcordings of the African Penguin included!
The Lonely Mountain echoes with solitude, loss and sadness: the empty cottage in the lonely glen.
100,000 Heroines remembers the heroics of the Womens’ Action Groups, 30 years after the Miners Strike.
Fives and Threes is a tale of redemption, set in the Bolsover Darts and Dominoes League which, as the song says, is no place for the weak.
Call the Cattle Home remembers the ancient family call used to bring the cattle in for milking every morning and evening.
The Reaper’s Blade is set in the village graveyard, among memories of childhood harvests and a realisation that the past is long gone.
John Paul 2 tells of a misinterpreted miracle that is helping the former Pope sprint towards sainthood.
You Lovers All is the Picker's favourite traditional song, full of youthful optimism, good luck and a happy ending.
Bow Wow Wow is a roll call of politicians and dissidents on the police dogs' A list! Co-written with the mighty John Brophy while picketing a Rupert Murdoch enterprise 1n 1986 and featuring a chorus of hungry Alsatians.
A must have CD that will entertain, provoke and make you laugh!
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