Tales of Johnny 5th Wheel & the Cowards

At the very least, this is truly bizarre music. Influences include: Scott Walker, Harry Nilsson, Anthony Newley, Kurt Vonnegut, Phil Silvers and Burt Bacharach. I really don’t have the words or the depth of knowledge to adequately describe this  work. I have therefore quoted from a review by: Whisperinandhollerin with a link provided for further research. I give the work high marks, but it’s a grower and this UK acoustic, swing, experimental band may or may not be your cup of tea. 

Johnny 5th Wheel – FollowingTheWheel [PartI]

Johnny 5th Wheel – Brotherly Love  

Thee Illusionist’ sits in the murky dark sleazepop cabaret territory between Soft Cell and David Devant and His Spirit Wife. ‘You can blow your smoke and mirrors up your arse / I tell you / It’s not magic any more if you tell us how it’s done,’ and sets the tone for much of the set. Theatrical lyrical flourishes abound, but there’s a wit and wordplay involved that elevate the songs above the corny and to a higher level of entertainment.  Take for example, ‘it drives me to distraction / like a fairground attraction /

but attraction to you is so very fleeting / like a passing greeting / at an annual boardroom meeting… I’m a jealous Matador / And I don’t take no bull from you’ (from ‘Jealous Matador’). Genius! Why? Because it’s not only clever and knowing, and in some respects knowingly bad, which takes courage, but it’s delivered in a way that conveys all of this and more, and that’s a real skill.                                            ———————————————————–From:  whisperinandhollerin.comauthor: Christopher Nosnibor

You Can Hear The Rest Of The Album At:
http://www.johnny5thwheel.bandcamp.com

http://www.myspace.com/johnny5thwheel

http://www.followthewheel.co.uk/

~ by castleqwayr on November 3, 2010.