If I didn't know better, the first time I heard this album I would have said Dave & Boo were from Canada or the US. (A friend of mine put me straight.) Well, they do have a very nice relaxed gentle sound; the sort of sound American contemporary folk singers do so well. Actually the duo are based in London, and tend to do most of their gigs in the South.
This is the second album from Dave and Boo as a duo. Make no mistake about it, as it really is superb. In my part of England traditional folk song seems to rule the roost, so listening to them came as pleasant surprise. Both Dave and Boo are good singers and harmonise well. Couple to this some nice, tasteful guitar work and you begin to get the picture. Dave and Boo wrote all of the songs on this album, but Dave must take most of the credit, as he wrote 11 out of the 13 tracks. The album was recorded at Doghouse Studios, and is very much a studio recording, with Dave overlaying banjo, keyboards, bass, percussion and whistle on most of the songs. The finished production sounds good, but their sound is bound to be different when they perform live as a duo.
The album starts well with a terrific song called 'Indian Country' -- now you will understand why I thought they were American! The next song, a slow ballad entitled 'Won't Let Loving', is sung by Boo. A slinky blues song comes next: 'Mirrorman' sung by Dave; it made a good contrast to the play list. And so the album continues, alternating rhythms and mood throughout the songs. It keeps you really interested. My favourite songs on the album have to be 'Indian Country', 'Apple Tree', 'Amsterdam' and 'It Could Have Been Me', but to be fair all the songs are good, and it is hard to single out just four.
Would I recommend you buy this album? Yes, definitely. For this class of contemporary folk music, Dave and Boo must take the crown for being amongst the best. It is sufficiently different, and makes a pleasant change from the run of the mill folk music. So if you like nice gentle singing, easy listening, plus some tasty guitar work, this album's for you. Pour your self a glass of wine, sit back, and enjoy.
A nice and interesting website for Dave & Boo can be found here
