DOGAN MEHMET Outlandish Album Reviewed

DOGAN MEHMET Outlandish Album ReviewedBlimey mate…luvvaduck…wotcher cock, it wouldn’t surprise me if these and many other colloquialisms were all thrown into Dogan Mehmet’s melting pot and a good few others to boot. If I was in Brick Lane I’d possibly have thought I’d just bought a ‘fake’ CD so colourful is the International vocabulary but no, this is the genuine article. This cross cultural musician (Turkish/English) displays the passion of his roots to exploit traditional songs and instrumental textures with a smattering of youthful vigour and to help steer you as to where I’m coming from think of Jim Moray combined with a slice of Jack The Lad for good measure.

It will help if you don’t think too much about the ensuing clash but go with the flow and just enjoy the recording for what it is. As you may have guessed already, being somewhat an anglophile, for me personally I’m not sure about the Turkish influence (stereotypically too many late nights spent indulging in greasy kebabs and not being able to converse with anyone in the queue perhaps?) but Mehmet’s passion for a broadside ballad has to be admired. If I was on a ‘folk’ jury I’d give him ten out of ten for the English stuff particularly when he includes “Lord Bateman”, “Roaming Journey Man” and “Young Edwin” in his repertoire but let’s just say that the jury is still out on the Turkish stuff…well, look what they did to Kevin Costner in Robin Hood. OK, so if you like your music with bite and don’t mind throwing caution to the wind then I’m pretty sure you’ll find something here to crave your indulgence even though, as the title suggests you may find the whole process a little outlandish.

PETE FYFE