ELLIOTT MURPHY & IAIN MATTHEWS : LA TERRE COMMUNE

 

  1. One Cold Street
  2. Blind Willie McTell
  3. Close To The Bone
  4. Navy Blue
  5. Darkness, Darkness
  6. Big Umbrella
  7. She's A Mystery
  8. I Want To Talk To You
  9. Fading Fast
  10. Dusty Roads
  11. The Ballad Of The Soldier's Wife (with Wolfgang Niedecken)
  12. Sad Eyes
  13. Unconditionally

Label : Blue Rose Records

Release Date : 2001

Length : 58:42

Review (Wikipedia) : "La terre commune" is een studioalbum van twee artiesten binnen het folkcircuit, Iain Matthews en Elliott Murphy. De heren kenden elkaar vanaf het prille begin van Matthews solocarrière. Voor een promotietour van zijn album "If you saw thro' my eyes", mocht Matthews spelen in het voorprogramma van Murphy. Daarna verloren de heren elkaar uit het oog, totdat eind jaren ’90 Matthews in contact wordt gebracht met het platenlabel Blue Rose. Hij liep daar ook Murphy weer tegen het lijf. Ze trokken samen met een medegitarist en een studiodrummer de Franklin Studio te Le Havre in om in 9 dagen een album op te nemen. Alle nummers als genoemd in onderstaand staatje zijn daar opgenomen, behalve "The ballad of the soldier’s wife". Dat nummer is opgenomen in de Dierks Studio in Pulheim-Stommeln op 26 september 2000. De naam Dierks was een bekende in het studiocircuit, Tangerine Dream en Klaus Schulze namen met hem wel hun muziek op.

Review (AllMusic) : A collaboration stemming from longtime mutual admiration, Iain Matthews and Elliott Murphy find more than a little common ground on La Terre Commune. With each contributing four songs to covers of Bob Dylan's "Blind Willie McTell," Bruce Springsteen's "Sad Eyes," and Jesse Colin Young's "Darkness, Darkness," the two succeed in creating a seamlessly cohesive song cycle. Allowing each other to stake out his own territory in the recording process, Murphy and Matthews complement each other extremely well, not just vocally, but stylistically. Though generally soaked in a contemporary folk-rock aesthetic, their collaboration rocks with heartland soulfulness when not visiting the more pensive moments of Murphy's "Navy Blue" and "Dusty Roses." Similarly, Matthew's "Close to the Bone" recalls the homespun folkiness of Neil Young with its starkly languid tones. Bertold Brecht and Kurt Weill's "The Ballad of the Soldier's Wife" is given a menacing Tom Waits-like feel, with Matthews employing his best raspy growl. Overall, Murphy and Matthews achieve a rare synergy that is mutually gratifying for both songwriters.

Review (Amazon) : If you are aware of the musical careers of Elliot Murphy & Iain Matthews, it would seem the pairing of both these artists is a bit strange. The cool tenor vocals of Iain matched up with the ruff-gruff vocals of Elliot? Well, it seems downright wierd but, these two knew what they were doing because this match-up really works well. Rockers; "One Cold Street" & "I Want To Talk To You" are mixed with the ballads; "Dusty Roads", "Navy Blue" and "Unconditionally." Both Iain and Elliot take turns on lead vocals and they both are in top-form on this CD, and the backing harmonies are fantastic. This is a very nice blend of light and dark music, and I wish they could have recorded a second studio disc but that has not happened yet. This is a fine CD, and the good news to report is that Elliot & Iain also recorded a great two CD set of their concert in Solingen, Germany on June 1, 2001. that live set is entitled: "Offical Blue Rose Bootleg Series", Elliot Murphy & Iain Matthews, it's on Blue Rose Records, and it's still in print !!! A solid four stars for this one.