The Sheffield Scenester

After recently finishing their 12 month residency at The Grapes, Dave Woodcock And The Dead Comedians are about to embark on more recording sessions...so lets just remind ourselves just how brilliant their 2009 album really is..!!!

This album has to be one of the most surprising audio experiences I’ve had in a long time, looking at the cover photography I’m confronted with what could only pass for a working class mobster line up, with Dave himself doing a pretty good impression of Al Pacino – the Scarface era naturally! So without any preconceptions to soften the impact I braced myself for what was about to come; Opening the album is the track ‘Here We Go’, which begins rather deceptively with a scratchy record effect leading into a jazz based piano and bass riff, then just as you’re settling into a laid back moment, the band explode onto the scene with what can only be described as an Americanized country blues. Imagine a world where George Thorogood took his foot of the gas and put all that power into intelligently crafted musicianship! As not only this song, but each song on the album will tell you, life seems to be one long trudge through a world of self pity and the inevitable self loathing that co-exists so happily alongside.

This is delivered to us via the alcohol fuelled ramblings of a barstool philosopher; at least that is the existence Dave Woodcock is inviting us to join him in. With his world weary gravely vocal styling that suits this album perfectly, backed by some haunting guitars and drums that not only carry but push the tune along as well, you just know this is superior workmanship at work. With influences as far flung as Tom Petty, Johnny Cash and even a dash of Bruce Springsteen, this album evokes classic blue collar country rock at its best. If I didn’t know any better I’d swear Dave Woodcock was American born, but as in the title song ‘Omaha (High Low)’, he does let his Sheffield-ness shine through with the line “So I shove all my chips in, put my heart on the line”, turns out he’s referring to gambling chips and not the late night chippie, but even so the word leaps out in mid-song to remind you of his true roots.

One of the catchiest tracks without a doubt is ‘City Lights’ and to be fair it almost feels upbeat but even here you get a sense that ‘the glass is half empty’ sentiment is echoed throughout but since this is a variant on the country music scene, a format designed to extol alcoholism, wife beating, infidelity and other such homely topics, it’s hardly surprising to find such pessimistic view on life.

‘Death Warmed Up’ is an interesting composition for a couple of reasons, mainly though there is a guitar’s single note strummed intermittently that is a dead ringer for the Twin Peaks soundtrack, both haunting and beautiful at the same time. Another aspect of this song is Dave’s vocals, he manages to slow it right down to a near drunken drawl, if it was dragged any lower he’d be on the verge of breaking into Lee Marvin territory.

The final track on the album ‘Five Minutes From The Bar’ is my personnel favourite as it bursts in your ears with yet another upbeat and quite bouncy tune. However just when you think there is light at the end of the tunnel, Dave comes in with his best Chris Rhea impression imparting a tale of someone who seems content to drown his sorrows in any bottle of any bar, as he says in his lyrics;

“I’m always five minutes from a bar; I feel a thousand miles from home!”

An excellent album, not exactly something you’d want to listen to at dinner party since it primarily revolves around a bleary eyed view of life itself, but I’ve had it in the car for several days now and it’s a great ‘pick me up’ on the way home from life’s daily grind. At no point does it give you the suicidal tendencies that you might expect from what is traditionally depressing subject matter – after all this ain’t Radiohead - but with a talented band behind him and material of this calibre, Dave Woodcock surely must rate highly in a census of Sheffield’s finest singer songwriters! They will in fact be performing a stripped down acoustic set at the Boardwalk on Thursday 8th July, it should be an interesting night which I for one am looking forward to!

"ALBUM OF THE YEAR"- SMS Music Awards 2009

"ALBUM OF THE MONTH (9/10)" - Exposed Magazine

"MAGNIFICENT" -SoundsXp

"STUNNING" - Sheffield Music Scene Magazine

"AN ALBUM OF VARIETY AND VERVE"-Counterfeit Magazine

"THE NEXT BIG THING FROM SHEFFIELD"-AmericanaUK

"THE VERY DEFINITION OF ROCK N ROLL" - SquareIndie Magazine