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Review: 'HARMONIOUS WAIL'
'Bohemian Tango'   

-  Label: 'Bufflehead Recordings'
-  Genre: 'Blues' -  Release Date: 'February 2014'-  Catalogue No: 'BUFF026'

Our Rating:
Harmonious Wail are living proof that Gypsy swing is alive and well, and this their latest album offers up surprised aplenty.

The band's current line-up consists of Maggie Delaney-Potthoff on vocals and various percussive effects; Sims Delaney-Potthoff on mandolin and guitars, and Jeff (Jeffo) Weiss on bass. The group was founded in 1987, and have released nine albums, plus compilations. There are twelve tracks on this album, a mix of their own work and covers of several jazz classics.

The opening track, 'Peace of Mind' is a piano driven jazz number with Sims and Maggie sharing the vocals, which detail the problems with today's living and the schedules we place upon ourselves: “Everybody's drivin' just as fast as they can drive.
Tryin' to squeeze it all into their busy little lives.../ Everybody's looking for a little peace of mind.”

This is a good opener, which sets the scene for some laid back jazzy stylings. The band's self-penned numbers sit easily alongside works by people such as Pee Wee King, and Rodgers and Hammerstein, however, the one track that I really didn't like and skipped through every time was 'My Favourite Things'. Whilst this may be regarded as a classic, I still have very bad memories of having to sing this one in junior school, for a school assembly, an ordeal that has probably left me scarred for life emotionally!

However, that is a minor complaint when they produce work as good as their cover of Harry Warren and Mack Gordon's 'There Will Never Be Another You'. Whilst this may have been recorded by such greats as Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, and Chet Baker, Harmonious Wail manage to breath new life into this standard.

Overall, this is an intensely likeable album, the type of which can be played at virtually any party or social gathering, and equally, as a way to unwind at the end of the day. It is infectious and you can tell that the band really enjoyed putting this one together.

The bad news is that the band doesn't appear to tour much outside of Wisconsin and Michigan, so fans will have to stock up on their CDs to get their Wail fix. This CD and all the band's other releases are available as CD copies or downloads from: Harmonious Wail online so indulge yourself. You won't be disappointed.
  author: Nick Browne

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HARMONIOUS WAIL - Bohemian Tango