Terrascope Online Review (The Julius Work Calendar) Nov 2007

‘The Julius Work Calendar’ is the latest offering from Richard Haswell working under the name Rhubarb. Treading the same path walked by the likes of Paul Roland or Robyn Hitchcock, the album is a fine collection of psych-tinged songs that have plenty of character of their own.

After the moody delights of ‘Forest Fear’, a Zeppelin Drum sample introduces the excellent ‘Kill It At Birth’, the tune rocking along with style. Throughout the album there is plenty of atmosphere and variety, with the acoustic based ‘Too Close To See’ tugging the heartstrings, whilst the drone led ‘Boiler Room’ is a more experimental slice of sound that works admirably.

Final song ‘The Banks of Claudy’ sets traditional lyrics to some droning strings and shuffling percussion, capturing the essence of the story with downbeat accuracy. (www.worldofrhubarb.co.uk)

 

Woven Wheat Whispers Review - Dec 2007

Rhubarb is Britain's own enduring eccentric song-writer making his own style of acoustic indie-pop song over a number of albums.   Earlier this year he bought his 'Introduction To' album to our service and here we have his most recent set.   Richard Haswell (aka Rhubarb) has a developing aspect of folk music to his releases which is evident on this release which the artist took three years to make.     Many reviewers are discovering Rhubarb for the first time and wondering how he can have passed us all by for so many years.     Daniel Good reviewed this new album like this:
(Quotes the ClickMusic review in full.....)

This sums up the appeal of the album excellently.  When writing about his last release at the service we wrote a description that we have seen widely used since and so we say it again, to spread the word about this singular artist.   "There is so much to enjoy, his music feels constantly as though it will fall apart but it never does. Instead we are charmed and often moved by his outsider view, the eccentric perspective of the duffel coated geek with only one lens in his glasses. So it's not purely folk? Where else is he going to go? Let's welcome him in."     We've welcomed him in last time, now let's make him a tea.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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