MARTIN STEPHENSON & THE DAINTEES – Bayswater Road (Barbaraville Records)

Bayswater RoadBelieve it or not, Bayswater Road is Martin Stephenson’s 35th album in as many years. He emerged as one of the rising stars of the eighties with the album Boat To Bolivia. The Daintees broke up in 1993 and Martin continued as a soloist but later reformed the band. The only Daintee remaining from the original line-up is guitarist John Steel – but enough of history.

It’s difficult to know where Martin fits into today’s world of compartmentalised music. Bayswater Road is a mixture of rockabilly, 50s pop and alt country but all done with the sensibilities of the singer-songwriter that Martin always was. There are many serious songs here – don’t go away with the idea that it’s all fun – but we’re kept waiting a while for them.

The opener, ‘The Whisky’ is an all-out rocker with a serious message about the dangers of drink wrapped up in it – a sure-fire radio hit. The title track sounds a collection of memories from the fast-living days and you can have fun identifying the characters on the cover. Jon Trier’s keyboards are an important part of the sound, his breaks often defining the period. ‘Secret Crush’ starts out with a burst of surf guitar from Steel and is decorated with doo-wop backing vocals and it’s only with ‘High Sierra Snow’ that Martin dispenses with the tricks and gives us a song that isn’t played, at least in part, for a laugh.

‘Lord Lead Us’, one of three songs co-written with Anna Lavigne, is a big song with a gospel feel and soulful backing vocals by Susanna Wolfe, Nuala Keller and Anna herself and ‘Every Kind Of Heaven’ is Martin’s ecological plea. The two sit well together as the album gets serious and ‘Thorn For A Rose’ and the solo acoustic ‘Elaine’ are both lovely songs. ‘She Rides Horses’ is a gorgeous production number to bring everything to a close.

I’ve enjoyed listening to Bayswater Road. It’s different, sometimes quirky and always clever. I guess that’s what Martin Stephenson is all about.

Dai Jeffries

Artists’ website: http://www.daintees.co.uk/

‘Elaine’ – live: