Nick Garrie is an obscure folk rock legend, who I admit I'd never heard of, before being sent this to review. He is best known for his legendary album The Nightmare Of J.B. Stanislaus that originally came out in 1969 just as the label releasing it was collapsing, so failed to get any distribution until being re-issued years later.
This album came about by accident while Nick was on holiday in northern Portugal when someone asked if he played a little!! This album has a very early 1970's sound to it but is a gem for folk rock fans that has apparently sat on a shelf for 20 years.
The album opens with Deeper Tone Of Blue a gently strummed and picked love song, as Nick tells you all the things he'll do to make you his, this has a Brian Protheroe style feel to it, the accordion is used to make the emotions swell.
All Of The Time has a gently breezy feel with echoes of It's All Over Now Baby Blue, as the pain of rejection shines though the poetic lyrics lead us through this lovers tiff, the backing vocals add a bluesy texture to the folk rock.
Wild Wild Hair is a song for a wild woman who he appears to be enamored of, as the gorgeous guitars and mandolins wrap this in a warm Mediterranean embrace.
Love In Her Eyes keeps the air of gently Intoxicating beauty and love played on a wonderful sounding Portuguese guitar as he is totally enamored and can see nothing but love.
Summer Nights has nothing to do with Grease, this is wistful fond remembrance of summer affairs past, one that ended as September started, I love the way the accordion weaves in and around the guitar parts.
Bungles Tours sounds like an ad for the sort of travel agents who organized trips of the type sent up in Carry On Abroad, as your dreams of a holiday Idyll goes not quite perfectly, this is a lush Matthew & Sons style easy folk rock song, slyly having a dig at the sort of tourist who wants everything done for them.
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Back In 1930 is lush sentimentality for times gone by, once again love lost in the mists of time. Chateau D'Oer Blues keeps things in the same lush slow lovely gentle folk rock as another love unfurls, with wondrously intoxicating backing vocals.
When The Cold Wind Blows has gentle piano and sweeping strings over the acoustic guitars as this tale unfolds of how frightened he once was.
I Dream Of Africa takes us on a romantic adventure to Africa gentle with carefree harmonies and lowing sounds.
The album closes with Wine And Roses a song to raise a toast to the ones you love, as with everything on this album it's amazing it comes from the early 2000's and not the early 1970's, this is compelling as you float away with the harmonica.
Find out more at https://shop.tapeterecords.com/nick-garrie-summer-nights-the-lost-portuguese-session-3752 https://nickgarrie.co.uk/ https://www.facebook.com/nick.garrie.9 https://nickgarrie.bandcamp.com/album/summer-nights-the-lost-portuguese-session
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