In 1997 poet Murray Lachlan Young released Vice & Verse, a time when Britpop was taking the music scene by the larynx and this modern-day dandy of verse was being talked about in the same breath. Murray had been performing to festival-goers both in Edinburgh and Glastonbury, as well as playing support to bands such as My Life Story, and what was to come next would be nothing less than world domination (well almost). But surely the Edge Of Reason was an installment that became known for Helen Fielding‘s, Bridget Jones’ Diary? Well yes, that was the case until something a little more left-field picked up the mantle. In this case, Murray is working with Blabbermouth, otherwise known as musicians Lu Edmonds (English rock and folk musician known for his work with Public Image Limited & Mekons) – on guitars and stuff, and Mark Roberts (D:Ream, The Godfathers, Neneh Cherry & Massive Attack, to name a few) – on percussion & synths. Earlier releases by the band may be found suitably entrenched within the pages of Bandcamp.
So how is this going to work? Well, Murray takes the role of frontman, with Edmonds and Roberts performing free-form as they work their way through his words. Otherwise known as the only poet who has ever signed a million-pound recording contract, he is also a regular contributor on 6music, composing, and performing for Shaun Keavney’s show. This was where many will have first encountered the album’s lead track ‘And on the 7th Day‘, as the audience takes a journey through the invention of tea and biscuits, although it must be remembered that in the early days, before even tea breaks, biscuits were either square or round, apparently. And when a digestive biscuit is dunked, it is plain that rules the day, as the milk chocolate digestive “…was not quite so good“. So from this first flippant verse, it’s easy to see where the following 9 are going and as long as you are willing to take each with a certain amount of irreverence, then you will gain the maximum joy from each. A cautionary tale that surrounds molluscs is the next serving, as ‘Cannibal Spanish Sex Slugs‘ comes into view. Featuring guest vocals from Brix Smith, the video is certainly worth tracking down & if the poetry gig ever dries up Murray, I’m sure you’re a shoo-in reading the news on any network! ‘Dolphins (take over)‘, takes us a stage further than Douglas Adams‘s Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy. ‘Cosmic3logy‘ looks at where the human race stands, “We got here too early for teleportation, we got here too early for journeys to Mars, we got here too early for A.I. Domination, but we might get a trip in a driverless car…“, ultimately obvious, but very true.
The bizarre audio tapestry that is ‘Motorways‘ is nothing less than a lesson in free-jazz by Edmonds and Roberts and where Murray can be heard recounting 70mph routes throughout the UK, some might hear Mastermind calling? Though apparently “…you may need satellite navigation“, probably best these days anyway? Whether you are a fan of Murray’s work, although I can’t see many who wouldn’t be, this can only be referred to as a relaxing moment spent in the chilled and humorous company of the poet and his minstrels. But before we leave today‘s performance, we should at least observe the title track and it will blow your mind! “If beyond everything there is nothing and nothing knows nothing of thing and nothing knows nothing of nothing, then everything is everything…“, a pretty mighty thought process that brought this into being, but the stars must have been aligned the day this trio of forces were brought together. Music and verse in one mighty package, just don’t forget your funny bone.
