Gig and CD review, Ngus

Gig review: Queens Hall, Narberth Friday, December 17th To quote Mike Chant, the driving force behind virtuoso acoustic folkies Ngus: "I haven't been that busy with my songwriting of late."

For a man who hasn't been writing many songs lately, Nagus have a new album out entitled Roughcast.

With leanings towards 'muso music', it's very pretty with lots of intricate instrumentation.

But while their CD didn't particularly rock my world, live, thankfully, Ngus are more exciting; there is more drama on the stage than in the studio.

Ngus appear to be not so much a band as Mike Chant plus add-ons, namely son Tom on guitar and Kyle on cello adding depth and richness to their Celtic influenced folk-blues sound and songs of feelings laid bare.

Experienced live, they were a pleasant enough way to pass an evening, as their music washed over me undemandingly.

However their CD seems to have made an impression on our CD reviewer L.Dopa. Intrigued? Read on... MOLL

*****

CD review - Ngus - Roughcast

I must be losing my edge. Never mind that my hairline is going north and my belly going south, I'm talking about my edge.

The icy stare, the spiky demeanour, the able put-down. I mean I like this CD. I really like this. I like the sparse finger picking, I like the baroque cello, I like the half-baked and half-pronounced Iyrics, I like the harmonies, I even like the flute!

It's got a strange reminiscence of a Marillion feel to it (clang! -cred just hit the floor) and you know that ain't no bad thing. Easter was a good song - it was! It was!

Just so you don't think I've completely lost it kids, I did have to put my Scratch Acid record on afterwards. Really loud. I had to. L. Dopa