Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
Some things are just worth waiting for, even if it takes four years in which to create it for all to hear. Such is the pleasure of listening to Forthaven’s Histrionic, the indomitable Jay Roberts and a host of contributing artists that four years seems not to matter at all. Never mind the time, what matters is the end result and from start to finish this collection of songs is something to be proud of.
The pleasure is heightened by some of the most exquisite pieces of musical art, eclectic, extensive and completely inspiring and the knowledge that somewhere at the back of Mr. Robert’s mind prowls the memory of his father and the much missed Liverpool musician Miles Carrington, someone taken from the overarching Liverpool scene far too early.
Histrionic is not just a collection of songs bundled together in such a way to make the most of one man’s work and prodigious output, it is carefully constructed to bring out the very best of the ambience, of the softness and delicate sounds that are fused with the thoughts of cognitive reasoning and synaptic firings as they crash and shine in the memory.
In amongst the abundance of instruments that Jay Roberts performs on the album, bass, guitar, keyboards, mandolin and theremin, there is a mountain of musical knowledge that Mike Oldfield himself would be proud to have amassed, to have the almost delicious talents of some of Liverpool’s fine young talent at his disposal during the process just shows how well thought of the project was. With involvement from the likes of Colin White, Emma Rose, Gareth Morris, Anne Marie Howard, Hannah Walkom, Shannon Bamford. Rufus Hok, Thom Morecroft, Alistair Ligertwood, Joe Symes and the superb Kaya Hersted Carney on tracks such as Hurricane, Animalistic, Existence, Phoenix, Travelling Clock and the gorgeous Starboard Soul, the album becomes a veritable who’s who of Liverpool music.
In a year of great music that been inspired by Liverpool and its surrounding area, this album tickles the tonsils and satisfies the growling of musical delight one more time.
Ian D. Hall