Nomadness

by The Strawbs

Overview

This chameleon of an album sounds more like ten different bands on a compilation than a unified Strawbs effort; fortunately, those ten bands are very good indeed. The album roars to life with spot-on imitations of Peter Gabriel in "To Be Free" and the Who in the windmilling riffs of "Little Sleepy." The bluesy torch song "Absent Friend" features some fine piano work and pensive electric guitar, while drummer Rod Coombes contributes a superbly withering (and still timely) blast at campaign finance and corruption in "A Mind of My Own." Rick Wakeman even shows up to pitch in a harpsichord part on the otherwise goofy throwaway "Tokyo Rosie." Unjustly neglected on its release by fans bewildered by the band's sudden reinvention of its sound, in retrospect this album easily stands among the best of their work. [Mercury's 2008 U.K. edition included two bonus tracks.] ~ Paul Collins

Product Details

Release Date:	03/17/2009
Label:	Universal
UPC:	0600753028223
Rank:	194478

Tracks

1. To Be Free
2. Little Sleepy
3. Golden Salamander
4. Absent Friend (How I Need You)
5. Back on the Farm
6. So Shall Our Love Die?
7. Tokyo Rosie
8. A Mind of My Own
9. Hanging in the Gallery
10. The Promised Land
11. Still Small Voice
12. It's Good to See the Sun

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The Strawbs   Primary Artist
Rick Wakeman   Keyboards,Electric Harpsichord
John Mealing   Organ,Piano,Keyboards,Piano (Electric)
Tony Carr   Congas,Percussion
Tommy Eyre   Piano,Clavinet,Keyboards,Synthesizer
Charles Cronk   Bass,Vocals
Rod Coombes   Drums,Vocals,Guitar (Acoustic)
Dave Cousins   Guitar,Vocals,Electric Banjo,Electric Dulcimer,Guitar (Acoustic)
Dave Lambert   Guitar,Vocals,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
John Lumley Savile   Keyboards
Tom Allom   Cymbalom
Jack Emblow   Accordion

Technical Credits

Tom Allom   Producer
Gered Mankowitz   Photography
Charles Cronk   Composer
Rod Coombes   Composer
Dave Cousins   Composer
Dave Lambert   Composer
Fabio Nicoli   Art Direction
Chas Cronk   Composer
Nick Marshall   Design
Victor Gamm   Engineer