LUVA ANNA - Wooden Shoe CD-EP

I've been putting off reviewing this since I know what's going to happen! You see, once you've heard the title track, you won't be able to get it out of your head for the rest of the day - you'll be humming it at work, singing it on the bus, having it swirling around your head while you're watching TV and totally unable to get to sleep at night because you've got this song nagging away at your brain and it just won't let go. Essentially a bright, easy and driving slice of semi-humorous folk-rock, co-vocalist Drew delivers it with all the anthemic purity it demands while the jaunty rhythms and addictive chorus are topped with easy going guitars and the whole thing makes your brain dance in unstoppable fashion. "Bonnie Little Girl", on the other hand, with a lead vocal from lower-voiced vocalist Drew, joined by co-lead vocalist Dave Webster on the choruses, comes across as a mix of folk-rock, Robert Wyatt and Todd Rundgren as the sprightly, multi-textured instrumentation drives a more straight forwardly structured song with another insistent but quite as insanely catchy chorus, along to perfection. "The Ballad O' Boaby Smith" is sung by Dave and is a tale-telling ballad delivered with absolutely heartfelt emotion as the lead vocal engages, the anthemic harmonies capture your heart and the mix of medieval sounding acousticity and folk-rock AOR density provide a briliant backing where the rhythm section weaves a twisting turning spell and the electric and acoustic guitars provide the texture. The whole thing ends with their immensely popular and crowd-leaping stage favourite "Angry Fat Bouncer", a swong delivered with a ferocious intensity by Dave as the tale of the sad bouncer is related in fiery fashio as the rolling density of thunderously chugging rhythms and scythig guitars, interweaves with a soaring chorus as Dave's vocal veers between anguished howl, operatic purity and driving insanity. You'd never have thought this would work so well on CD as it does, but it can't fail to have you leaping about the room whenever you put it on. As a CD showcasing just some of the many sides of this unique Dundee band, an unqualified success and essential listening.
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