Tag: Catterline

Kris Drever’s new album is not quite what I expected. After all, Lau is noted for being the loudest folk band in existence and, while Doing This For Love isn’t exactly gentle, Kris has his foot on the soft pedal rather more than usual. The initial impression is that this is an album that is living in the love of the common people – the opening line of the title track, “Digging holes in rain” paints a bleak enough picture.

There is more than a hint of Gerry Rafferty in Kris’ delivery of ‘Change’, a song that is more plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose than a description of change itself. There is a serious undercurrent in the jolly ‘Bring Back Hanging Around’. Kris is being nostalgic but not in a good way while ‘Magic Friend’ is about someone who does things or perhaps doesn’t. I seem to detect loneliness and depression here but I admit that I’m not in a good place right now.a

Kris has a powerful band supporting him. Euan Burton, Louis Abbott and Ian Carr being the first three names to grab the attention – lots of keyboards, including a Mellotron (and I don’t think I’ve seen one of those since King Crimson) and while they could blast you off your chair if they so wished they are recorded with great sensitivity and restraint, a tribute to the production work of Burton and Drever.

‘Pilot Whales’ feels autobiographical but is also, perhaps, a lament for changes, specifically things going from bad to worse while, in contrast, ‘Save A Space’ seems to be looking forward to the future with a dash of optimism. ‘Does Your Sleep Feel Like Rest’ finds Kris searching for himself and his history without success and ‘Every Time’ anticipates the coming of winter – Doing This For Love doesn’t really do happy and ‘Still The Boy’ doesn’t do much to refute that view. ‘Catterline’, ostensibly about a village in north-east Scotland, could be a final coming home song – but it isn’t.

Don’t get me wrong, I like Doing This For Love, I really do – perhaps because it matches my mood at the time of writing. It’s profound and lovely to listen to but I’d like to think that Kris can cheer up next time.

Dai Jeffries

Artist’s website: www.krisdrever.com

‘Catterline’ – live: