Havalina Rail Co - Havalina Rail Co

Wednesday 1st April 1998
Havalina Rail Co - Havalina Rail Co
Havalina Rail Co - Havalina Rail Co

STYLE: Rock
RATING 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8
OUR PRODUCT CODE: 14696-
LABEL: Tooth & Nail
FORMAT: CD Album

Reviewed by Mike Rimmer

Britain hasn't yet really cottoned on to the charms of the Havalina Rail Co which is a shame because there is something delightful in a band that can mix so much music - jazz, rock, blues, cajun, country, show tunes -and serve up such a loose limbed eclectic selection of songs. On the debut album, imagine The Lost Dogs only more eclectic and 100 times less together and you get the chaotic sound of Havalina. Like The Lost Dogs, the spiritual content isn't always immediately obvious so just sit back and enjoy the musical ride. "Proportion Thing" sounds like something out of a detective film, "Ragtime" namechecks Jesus and has this crazy cajun feel. "Grass Roots" is a country singalong which suddenly breaks into "Cruisin"', a stomping romp. "French Theme" is, of course, built around some wonderful accordion occasionally taking a left turn into some brilliant blues. "Sha La La" has a loose skiffle feel with the whole band chugging along. This album is full of surprises and any band that can finish an album with a version of "Moon River" is alright by me!

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

Interested in reviewing music? Find out more here.

Be the first to comment on this article

We welcome your opinions but libellous and abusive comments are not allowed.












We are committed to protecting your privacy. By clicking 'Send comment' you consent to Cross Rhythms storing and processing your personal data. For more information about how we care for your data please see our privacy policy.