Art Terry and the Faeries graced Utrophia's June event at the 291 with a new reincarnation. This time he came flanked by a small string section. With arrangements to challenge Robert Kirby's on Nick Drake's River Man or Jack Neitsche's manipulation of Buffalo Springfield's Expecting to Fly.

And the west coast of the U.S of States circa late 60's is no strange place to start when describing this particular brand of Faerie-dust. There are tinges of post Forever Changes, post cocaine Arthur Lee in the wicked cynicism and erudite wisdom of Art's social commentary.

But if lyrics aint your bag then get a load of the chord changes. They shouldn't work! They don't follow the rules! But come 1/2 way through verse two you realise there couldn't be another way. I once heard Miles Davis described as always playing the most unexpected note but once he'd played it, there was no other note that would fit. And that's kind of what you get here - at once unfamiliar and self affirming. Art Terry and the Faeries give you a little something of what you want - even though you never knew it was what you needed.

Staying with a Miles' reference - he never seemed to change, just changed everyone else around him. And the same can be true of Art's Faeries - bringing in the string section rather than full band show's one of Art's strengths. Fitting the music to the surroundings, and for this converted church in Hackney the cello and violin/viola was the perfect accompaniment. Sweet, delicate, exquisite

 

review by robert smoughton

 

art's myspaccccceeeeee

 

 

escort.mp3

 

 

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