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Home is a Brilliant Evocation of Homelessness

o dubhthaigh | north rustico, pei, canada | 02/27/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Not the poverty driven sort, but the spiritually aching homelessness is the turf John Tams walks and surveys in this brilliant collection. My only misgiving about this CD is that it is too short and should have included his remarkable "All Clouds the Sky" from "Songs from 47".
But that's a minor complaint. Tams has in 2 albums established himself as a songwriter of uncompromising intelligence and pathos. Everything about this CD smacks of extraordinary craft in service to Music itself, with a panolpy of human dramas played out. His musicianship is first rate and his colleagues on this disc know just how to add colour and dimension to the tales told.
John's voice is a deeply emotional regester for the dramas in the songs. I really can't tell if he's Welsh or Northumbrian, but there is a soulfulness rooted in the land here that you rarely hear in singers from an urban setting. Life's seasons, tragedies and triumphs roll from somewhere deep in his heart. No bleary eyed romantic, John skewers self delusion in "Ballroom", yet makes impassioned pleas for pardon for taking wrong turns in his choices in "East to Cardiff".
If you purchased "Unity", his first release, hailed by most of the Brit Press as Roots CD of the Year, you'll know what you're in for, and you won't be disappointed with this at all. Another triumph from a brilliant writer. If you are new to Tams, buy both CDs. His is a unique talent and perspective, and I can think of only Townes Van Zandt or Bill Miller that I would put in the same category, if that's any analogous help."

A Fan

J. VanCleave | Sellersburg, Indiana United States | 04/12/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I became interested in John Tams after watching the Sharpe series on television. I looked for his CDs and I am glad that I did. I have really enjoyed listening to this CD and also his other CD, "Unity.""