Woven Wheat Whispers Review - Jan 2007
It's genuinely surprisingly that spending my time reviewing and writing about music continually that an artist as established as Rhubarb should have completely passed me by. Until Richard Haswell who effectively is Rhubarb got in touch, to my shame I hadn't heard a single album by him. I've often scratched my heard since wondering how that could have happened. After all he's released thirteen albums, has a loyal dedicated fan base and was in a band called White Noise for four years. It just shows that the popular music press must have missed on out on this musical treasure too. Thankfully we now have the opportunity to redress the balance and little and hope to bring more music from the artist in the future.
This album brings together songs across the various albums as useful introduction to his varied music. By now I'm sure you're wondering like me what the music is like, so let's press on. Opener 'Curtain Call' has a slow acoustic guitar a repetitive, insistent electric keyboard behind his deliberately blurred vocals.
Although Richard has been making acoustic singer-songwriter music for years, it is perhaps only over the last few that popular music's easy acceptance of the form has grown again with artists such as Damien Rice. I'm sure both artists could reference such as Nick Drake, Damien Jurado and Sparklehorse as influences.
There is the beauty of fragility broken in these songs. On this song his guitar chimes like a mandolin, piano adds simple melodies and dirty processed drums undermine the beauty to avoid it becoming over pretty. It's a great sound, wonderful melodies and it is frankly, only the first song.
The songs seem to come from the perspective of the outsider, the rejected and freaks. Such a view permeates through 'Circus Clown', the kind of elegant acoustic song from a bruised heart we associate with Ray Davies. The artist really does know how to write and structure a song.
The guitar at the start of 'Parallel' isn't flashy, but it picks out exactly the right notes, underpinned by a murky bed of sound. Richard starts to sing, as though he is only just awake and it's a moment that tears at you. He's just about holding it together you think to yourself. It doesn't seem artificial or a pretence, it's just that he's more than a singer, there is an artistry here that allows aspects of his personality to seep out in the music.
There are so many great songs, it doesn't make sense to reveal everything about them. But pick some at random and there is always something new. 'Sky' has shuffling drums, spoken word, an almost whispered vocal and spectral keyboards. 'Illmaintained Fairground Contraption' is like Tom Waits relocated to an abandoned northern British fairground. Seething guitars, ghostly electronics, stereo processing effects and a gutterbox voice. 'Road Works Intolerance' is despair at the modern world in the hushed style of the Velvet Underground's minimalist acoustic third album.
'Molly and Me' sounds like Rhubarb is backed by Boards of Canada, muddy ambient electronics, bird song and graceful keyboards combined with his vocal. 'Stone' evokes Harry Nillson spaced out. 'The Fall of the Sparrows' live shows Rhubarb playing ace dirty electric guitar too on a Yo La Tengo type song. Although naturally we try to place an artist in context by mentioning others, he is a distinctive talent who should of broken through to wider acclaim. 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.
Daily Record Review March 2007
"..if there were record deals for workaholics Rhubarb or Richard Haswell would be Robbie Williams.
Fourteen albums and counting, this is a compilation of all his best bits and the best place to start before he releases his new album, The Julius Work Calendar, due out in May.With a voice like Bob Geldolf, Rhubarb has the rootsy alt.folk of Eels, or late solo work from Peter Gabriel. It's odd but draws you in, especially beats driven tracks like Red Sky, Forest Fear (Live) and Solid Ground which sound like The Wall-era Pink Floyd in their hypnotic qualities. "
Those of you who like Robyn Hitchcock or Paul Roland should check out the gentle psych songs of Rhubarb (AKA Richard Haswell), their soft melodies and pithy, world weary lyrics contrasting brilliantly on such songs as “Static Record Collection”, a song about growing old in the comfort zone. With some well constructed guitar solos and thoughtful arrangements, the song sparkle with electricity, with song like “Red Sky” and Ill-Maintained Fairground Equipment” being given plenty of room to soar. Throughout, the lyrics are well worth paying attention to, being humorous, sarcastic, optimistic, and nostalgic, often at the same time. With at least fourteen album to choose from “An Introduction To…” is recommended as the perfect doorway into a weird and wonderful universe you may recognise as your own.
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