Echoes Of Our Times

Das ist ein sehr tolles Album mit schönen Songs. Es ist zwar kein Rock’n’Roll, sondern einfach mal ein anderer Stil dem Amerikanischen Country angelehnt. Mit dem Blick auf die Vergangenheit seiner Familie und Vorfahren ist es ein tolles Werk geworden. Ich höre es sehr gerne.

Shakin 'Stevens avec du nouveau materiel,cette album studio. nous fais voir Shakin ' Stevens sur une autre facette de sa personnalite et de son talent musical.A decouvrir pour les personnes qui cherche de la nouvelle musique et pour les fans inconditionnels pour moi je dis "fantastique"

My review of Echoes Of Our TimesAs a life long Shaky fan (well since I was 10 years old) every new album release has been an event in my life. Friday just gone saw the long awaited release of Shaky's 12th solo studio album - Echoes Of Our Times.The regular cd is housed in a card digi pack with cd booklet added. The deluxe edition is housed as a hardback book with the booklet as pages.I was immediately taken in by the sleeve, especially the deluxe book edition, which sets the mood of the album. Gone are any images of Shaky himself replaced by haunting images and welcomed lyrics, something Shaky hasn't included since the 'Shaky' album in 1981. I guess it's because these lyrics are a bit more serious than the usual girl love/trouble or dance. Matter of fact, not one song on this whole album is about relationships or dance moves. The songs are emotional, well written and the sound is remarkable. It's country blues, it's Gospel, it's Americana, it's remarkable. It's a departure of sorts from the Shaky we're used to from the past but it's still Shakin' Stevens to me as it carries that classic Shaky trait - that being that every track has an irresistible 'hook'. Shaky started on this album some years ago, then after a delve into his family's history it turned into something else. Something very special indeed.The album is themed around the history he learned from his own family. Stories about his elders and ancestors led to writing some powerful songs formed with a proper band sound incorporating some great instruments to give this fabulous old time Americana sound. The result is astonishing. The songs apart from three are written by Shaky, his partner Sue Davies (not Suffer Little Children) and long time calibrator John David. I will do my best to review each on the album.Down In The HoleA very brave move to open an album with a slower track and a very dark track one at that. The track starts with that anthem stadium style drum bashing (within seconds I nearly had myself doing the Queen crowd clap while chanting 'we will we will rock you') into a bluesy chain gang sound that immediately transports to the coal mining era. The song relays the shocking conditions and tragedy that the miners had to be exposed to, some being children too. The harmonica in this track lends a beautiful but bitter sweet mood to the drum based song. It's one of my favourites on the album and strong enough to be a single, although it may just be a bit too dark for single material. Time will tell.Echoes Of Our TimesThe title track and change of pace upwards, this track is a tribute and heartfelt appreciation of the men and women that fought wars and died for us, so we could be how we are today. Some paid the ultimate price for our freedom and the lyrics reflect the sentiment well. It's a 'never forget' song with a military feel. The chorus is one of the catchiest I've heard in a long time. Wonderful banjo on this track too by Jon Bishop.Behind Those Secrets And LiesA song about hidden things that all families have. A slow paced song that opens with a mood like The House Of The Rising Sun. I could almost imagine Eric Burdon launching into "There is - a house - in New Orleans, they caaaaallll the risin' sun..." over it. The slide guitar and cello are the icing on this superb trackTo Spread The WordKeeping the tempo slowed, To Spread The Word is a gospel track, perfectly backed vocally by Sarah Geary. Her voice alone will bring Jesus straight into your heart with the wonderful pipes she has been blessed with.The Fire In Her BloodMy personal favourite track on the album. I just love the structure and way the song just flows, bobbing along with an infectious foot tapping beat. The banjo (played by Shaky) drives the tune along with this song that's dedicated to his grandmother and her work with The Salvation Army.Down Into Muddy WatersA live firm favourite of the fans that has been performed in concert for a while now has now been immortalised on this album. It's a cover version that fits the theme of the album, so it's no surprise that it has been included. This one is the one that'll most likely please the retro sound loving Shaky fans, who may feel this album is a departure too much from him. It is probably the closest traditional 'rock n roll' track on the album and it was written by the late Dennis Linde, who also penned the huge Shaky hit 'A Letter To You' and the Elvis classic 'Burning Love'. Lovely backing from the three ladies on this by Sarah Geary, Charmain Elliott and Kirstie Roberts.Suffer Little ChildrenWhere do I start with this one? It's quite simply a breathtakingly emotional track that will tug the heartstrings of every listener, everytime. The slow guitar opener echoes that Gary Moore Still Got The Blues For You sound before leading into an emotional vocal from Shaky. It's simular in sound to me as Ray Charles' Unchain My Heart. I hope the words of this song come true one day as no child should ever have to suffer, especially at the hands of other people. I can't say much else, except for quite simply - the song moves me.Train Of TimeA stand out track from the album. Martyn Hope co-wrote this one and he must've added the midas touch in there somewhere as it has a stand out arrangement and we know what a class musical director he is. The uptempo beat isn't an obvious 'train on track' melody, it more hints at that. It has some surprises within, some nice little changes that keep you interested in what's going on musically. The song's tune reminds me of 'How Could It Be Like That' from Shaky's last album, with Train's lyric "it's gonna be gone, yea gone, long'' reminding me of" how could it be like that, how could it be like that, like that, be like that".It's not a train song as such, it's a reminder that our lives pass by very quickly, so be sure to make the most of it. I can't stop playing it.Love The WorldChugs along like Bad To The Bone, for me this is a rock track for driving to. It's probably the most basic song on the album, not much happens in this gospel song but please don't think that I'm playing this track down - it's a corker. Sometimes less is more. Sometimes keeping it simple is the key.Last Man AliveAn absolute belter of a track that is the first single from the album and at the time of writing this already 'A' listed for airplay on BBC Radio 2 - the biggest radio station in the country. The quirky lyrics are an environmental warning of what we are doing to our planet. The artwork for the single download is an eye with the world in the middle of it along with a Krugerrand coin. It's says we have our eye on money when really it should be on the earth.It's a banging track written by the boogie-woogie piano legend Ben Waters (who has performed in Shaky's band many times) and his co-writer Richard Hymas. It's a mad fusion of Boogie Woogie and Rock n Roll with a dusting of everything else. It's another fan fav that has been in the live sets for a while now, so to finally have it laid down to own is a huge treat. I prefer the single mix which is slightly edited for radio with an added vinyl crackling at the start along with a different intro. It's more pumped and the added drumming just does it for me. The album version is still wonderful but I'd advise spending an extra 99p on the single mix download to add to your playlist. In fact, add the single of Echoes Of Merry Christmas Everyone and you've just created your own expanded version keeping with the album's theme.So there you have it, an amateur review from a life long fan so please forgive any poor use of words or grammar. I just wanted to relay how this brilliant album has been for me with the first few days of constant playing. It's an album of just ten tracks, a little over half an hour of listening pleasure. However, it's all killer no filler and nods have to be given to all involved. The sounds of Martyn Hope, Jon Bishop, John David, James Compton, Wal Coughlan, Julian Webster Greaves, Howard Tibble, Darren Loveday, Sarah Geary, Charmain Elliott, Kirstie Roberts and of course Shakin' Stevens who also produced the album along with John David.It's the long awaited rebirth of Shaky. It's an album that has finally been embraced without prejudice. This is the one that will win new audiences and I can't recommend it enough.A solid 5 stars out of 5.

Ein MUSS für jeden Shaky Fan

In 2006, Shaky was due to release his first album of new material in the UK, "Now Listen" for about 15 years, then a few weeks before the release date, it was postponed and ultimately never actually officially released in the UK. "Now Listen" was released in Denmark and Poland with some success."Echoes Of Our Times" is actually the first album of new material to be released in the UK since the early 1990's and how different it is.This is Shaky's most artistic album release. The theme of the album is based on the research into family history conducted for the "Who do you think you are?" TV programme a few years ago. Shaky discovered family members who had worked in mines, been early Methodist and Salvation Army members.Most of the songs are written by Shaky and they are a mix of country, blues, folk and light rock in style. Shaky's voice comes across strongly and clearly on each track. The theme of the album is maintained throughout and the accompanying booklet provides a short background to the inspiration of each song. All the songs are technically very good.Those associating Shaky with "This Ole House", will be surprised by this album as it is such a departure. However, given Shaky's maturing years the album is much more befitting of that maturity.I would liken the album to the later recordings of Johnny Cash from his period with American Recordings.I hope this album bring some success, it is an overdue release and also brave departure for Shaky that is very well executed.After listening to this album several times, I do maintain that this is an album of quality and depth.My favourite tracks are "Down In The Hole", which has great sound in-built into the rhythm that sounds like a hammer hitting a chisel, in keeping with the mining theme, "Echoes Of Our Times", a reflection on World War 1, resulting from his father and uncle's contribution, "Behind Those Secrets And Lies", and "Down Into Muddy Water".The album seems to have received critical acclaim from those who are aware of it and did sell briskly over the weekend of it's release. As the week wore on less so, resulting in an album chart entry position of No. 22. This does represent Shaky's best album placing for a non greatest hits collection since 1983's "The Bop Won't Stop". However, the sales fell away during the second week seeing the album drop to No. 90.Whilst Shaky's return to the charts is a success, the album is of such quality it is worthy of a sustained period in the top 10. To achieve that would have required more extensive promotion (TV advertising) and air play in order to capture the interest of a wider audience.I did meet Shaky with my wife at a signing in Cardiff the day after the album came out and he was very friendly, taking time to have a decent chat to everyone who had queued over a three hour period.