CD Reviews
'Phantom Limb' Album Review
BBC Online
A quality album, and band, to restore your faith in contemporary music.
Bristol-based five-piece Phantom Limb may well be the most musically sophisticated (and satisfying) band the UK has produced in far too long a time.
Formed in 2004, individually the quintet has worked with the likes of Massive Attack, Bugz in the Attic, Skin, Jazzanova, Roni Size, Andy Sheppard, Emily Breeze, The New Mastersounds and Will Young. A stylistically diverse array that should tell you something about just what this fine ensemble is capable of. Appearances at this year's South By Southwest Festival and a scene-stealing spot on the Glastonbury Jazz World Stage in early summer saw eloquently accomplished sets garner the kind of rapturous acclaim that surely also awaits their eponymous debut.
What astonishes most is the sheer elegance and lightly-worn maturity of it all. Actually, that's not true. What astonishes most is just how good it is. A seamless amalgam of classic, late-night jazz, southern soul, country blues and gospel, this is intelligent music-making with impeccably high standards.
Few bands can boast a vocalist of the quality of Yolanda Quartey. Think Janis Ian crossed with Sister Rosetta Tharp. Equally, Etta James, Madeline Bell, Mahalia Jackson and Mavis Staples come to mind in a vain attempt to describe the unique blood pulse and heart-soaring beat of Quartey's burnished mahogany voice. It's put to blissfully intimate use on the emotionally torn Don't Say A Word, is anthemically defiant on Withering Bones, boldly corkscrews into the imagination in I'll Never Be The Same Again, and is fractured, fragile and vehement in equal measure on My Love Has Gone.
Few great voices get the backing they deserve, but Quartey can happily claim to be the exception to the rule. And if the knowing instrumental accompaniment provided here by Stew Jackson (guitar, pedal steel, banjo), Dan Brown (Bass, guitar), Matthew Jones (drums) and Dan Moore (piano, Hammond organ) is the result of a crack outfit firing majestically on all cylinders, the close-harmony vocals they also provide are no less compelling.
It seems inconceivable that there will be a more accomplished debut than this in 2008. A quality album, and band, to restore your faith in contemporary music.
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'Phantom Limb' Album Review
ROOMTHIRTEEN - Rated 13 out of 13
A stunning debut from SXSW darlings
Sat Oct 4 17:16:10 2008
One of the successes of this years SXSW and Glastonbury festivals, Phantom Limb finally release their debut album. Delicate and soulful, opener Don’t Say A Word is both heartbreaking and comforting at once, combining classic southern country, Gospel, soul, and Americana. Straight away the harmonies draw you in, and the breathtaking beauty of singer Yolanda Quartey’s voice both compliments and contrasts with the mixture of influences in the music. Good harmonies are hard to do, and Phantom Limb have them down perfectly; not overpowering, but clear and brilliant.
There’s something eternal in the lyrics and delivery of songs like 'Withering Bones', that make them sound fresh and yet as if they’ve always been around. There are clear singles and album tracks, but none that could be described as filler. All the way through, there’s a melancholy yet hopeful sound to the tracks that means that if you’re after something totally upbeat, this isn’t for you. This delivers something deeper; a far more emotionally rounded approach to music and lyric writing. Sentimental without being sweet, contrasting tough and tender throughout. It sounds something like you’d find from the Deep South…rather than, um, Bristol. And not a million miles away from the mood created by the Plant/Krauss collaboration Raising Sand.
There’s enough here to keep almost everyone entranced, from indie kids to the one-album-a-year mums. You can listen intently and soak up every note, but it’s not so taxing that you can’t drift in and out as you please. And even the most idle listener with still find themselves belting out 'I’ll Never Be The Same Again'.
If you’re put off by the thought of good ole country music, banjos, and slide guitars you’ll be pleased to know that the sheer power of the vocals will completely allay your fears on tracks like 'My Love Has Gone'. There’s none of the showy vocal gymnastics of what passes for soul music these days, nothing that would distract from the storytelling in the words, much to their credit. And the music is suitably restrained enough whilst still creating a wall of sound for Quartey’s vocals to play off.
This is an incredible album and one of the best debuts ever. And that’s not something to say lightly.
Track Listing
01 - Don't Say A Word
02 - Withering Bones
03 - I'll never be The Same Again
04 - My Love Has Gone
05 - Playing With Death
06 - Run
07 - Good Fortune
08 - We Will Carry
09 - Spring Flowers
10 - The Hard Way
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'Phantom Limb' Album Review
Shakenstir 9th Sept 2009
“A seamless amalgam of classic, southern soul, country blues and gospel, intelligent music-making with impeccably high standards. Few bands can can boast a vocalist of the quality of Yolanda Quartey - a mix of Etta James, Aretha Franklin and Mavis Staples.”
“Formed after an impromptu Christmas jamming session in 2004, the band’s future crashed to a halt in 2006 when illness forced Yolanda to stop singing. The album (and the band) stayed on ice for over six months while she recovered her voice after which it seemed a good idea to start quietly with acoustic rehearsals. These proved revelatory as a more intimate yet powerful sound emerged. Electric guitars were swapped for acoustics, double bass was brought in and, with Yolanda’s voice allowed to soar, beautiful country-gospel songs emerged. The recording process began all over again and Phantom Limb was reborn.”
That’s the background to this Bristol country-soul sextet and the band’s debut album. As I’ve stated severel times before, 2009 has been a magical album release year, notable for the quality and diversity of music released. This album adds to that diversity. It opens with a mournful slice of country soul in the slowly meandering, thoughtful and tuneful ‘Don’t Say A Word.’ While the pace remains intact, instruments, gospel harmonies and the magical lead vocal gradually build to a subtle crescendo (helped by some glorious piano moments towards the end) of what is one of the standout tracks on the album. A mellow acoustic guitar and tumbling keyboard notes introduce another superb country song, ‘Withering Bones.’ While the instrumental arrangement is superb and the melody is of monstrous proportions, it is Quartey’s voice that dominates as it dives and soars seamlessly and expressively. Later in the song everything is thrown into the melting pot as it builds to a crashing conclusion. Wonderful! ‘I’ll Never Be The Same Again’ changes generic tack as it sails down a rhtyhm and blues route with driving bass rhythm and wandering piano notes. Again the song builds to crashing choruses as Quartey really belts lets fly - I imagine her heading a choir in one of those Southern churches and literally raising the roof in front of a sea of waiving arms and God-fearing voices. Tremendous!
‘My Love Has Gone’moves along slowly like a road train negotiating mountain bends. The song is a mix of country and gospel with glorious instrumental passages aided by a compelling solo and group vocal harmonies. The song ends and then is straight into the wistful, contemplative and beautiful tones of yet another standout track, ‘Playing With Death.’ Lone piano and guitar accompany the most expressive and passionate vocal on the album - hell, I think this is my favourite song here. ‘Run’opens in quiet mode before opening up with heavily plucked guitar and a voice which is vintage country complete with that typical country twang. ‘Good Fortune’ is a beautiful love narrative with guitar gently humming in the background under a vocal that weaves the most magical of spells. ‘We Will Carry’and ‘Spring Flowers’ offer the same languid, contemplative vibe before the upbeat ‘Draw The Line’ explodes into existence with truckloads of melody and driving performances by the band and its singer. This is the first single which is released on the 5th October, and given airplay should fly. ‘The Hard Way’ completes the album in soulful style with some of the powerful choruses on the album. The outro will blow you away!
This album has everything - superb instrumental performances, beautiful production, great songs, diverse sounds and one of the most exciting female vocalists I’ve heard in a while. There’s also rare quality and sophistication, and yet it’s an album that is so totally accessible. Just buy it!
4.5/5
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'Phantom Limb' Album Review
Amazon Review
Delightful Tingles from Phantom Limb, 8 Sep 2008The first thing I did was to look at their MySpace site where I not only found more great songs but also that they were playing a gig at my local pub the following Sunday. So I duly joined about 30 others (and a dog) for an absolute treat and came away quite stunned and excited and clutching this CD. I've played it (several times) daily and I'm blown away by what I hear - not only the voice that first drew me in but also the beautiful playing of the band and - most of all - the songs. All 10 of them have been written by the band (no individual credits but who is writing these words?) and as well as some that you will love from the first hearing - the very soulful `Withering Bones' or the more country flavoured `My Love Has Gone' - there are songs here that go beyond the bounds of these genres and whose delights are more slowly revealed. `Playing With Death' has a velvet darkness that deepens with familiarity and the rich textures of `Spring Flowers' are increasingly beguiling.
Ultimately there are only two genres of music - good and bad - and if it moves your soul and your body it belongs in your good file. This album has quickly gone into the favourites section of that file for me, so many thanks to all those involved in its creation. And if you are yet to discover this music give yourself a treat and click that buy button now!
'Phantom Limb' Album Review
Amazon Review
Don't say a Word.. well maybe a few, 2 Sep 2008Ah, the sweet soothing sounds of Phantom Limb. It sounds like real life, like all the heartaches and fears, the laughter, joy and tears of being alive, a rare thing in these days of dehydrated pop.
This album is a friend, a well worn book whose pages I want to re-read again and again. It gives me the feeling of sinking my feet deep into the dirt, rooted and honest.
Listen to it on Myspace.
Buy it because it soothes you in the way music should.
Love it because you can't fail to.
'Phantom Limb' Album Review
Amazon Review
New group from Bristol, 20 April 2009
This is a great CD if you are into fusion music (if there is such a thing). I heard about the group on Singapore Airlines, while casting about on a 12 hour flight for something different to listen to & discovered a group that is serious about their music but love to have fun. Their music is soulful, country and slightly blues influenced. I hope they produce more-Yolanda's voice is brilliant! Let's hope this is the first of many!