efn Reviews

“Tenterhooks - The Art Edition” Jes Lowe & the Band Pennies
Tantobie Records TTRCD 106
I hate reviewing Lowe’s recordings. The quality of songwriting, arrangement and performance is consistently good. There is never anything to complain about but on the other hand I never find anything that particularly grabs my attention above the rest.

Tenterhooks was first released in the USA on Green Linnet in 1996. This English reissue has a new booklet with specially commissioned artwork by Co Durham artist Tom McGuinness plus 6 bonus tracks taken from the 1994 album Banners.

With so much variety in style and instrumentation it is impossible to generalise. Maybe in style the tracks from Banners don’t sit comfortably against the later tracks but all in all an excellent recording of excellent performers.

  Review By: Peter Crabb-Wyke
From efn issue 129 - December 2005
Copyright © 2005 - efn magazine