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MAVERICK MAGAZINE
Christopher Rees
Cautionary Tales
Red Eye Music
REDEYE009
****
The award winning Welsh songwriter's third album is sure to get the critics excited, yet again, with some of the best songs he's recorded to date. Helped out by the fairer sex on many of the tracks, his CAUTIONARY TALES veer from murder ballads to classy ballads, with dark roots rock and angsty Appalachian folk strewn in between. Rees has a voice that brims with powerful emotions, and when combined with soft petal-like tones of Victoria Williams (Bottom Dollar) or the sweet chimes of the Hot Puppies' Becky Newman (Mary Lee, It Won't Come Easy) it's like Rufus and Martha Wainwright have converted to the church of country blues.
Never one to over-elaborate his arrangements though, highlights of the record also come from the simplicity of Rees left alone to rhythmically pluck away at his guitar or banjo in songs such as A Sinner's Serenade, croon against bluesy mellifluous electric guitar in the mature The Calm Will Follow The Storm, or even intersperse his regretful lyrics with a sexy lady whispering seductively in French on Until Love Comes Around Again. The seven deadly sins are all well represented here, and plenty of warnings are given. Plus, the title track has the best bit of advice of any song in years: "Just think twice before you kiss, she may be a mentalist". Exactly!
HK
