Matthew Edwards may have risen from humble beginnings in Birmingham to a more glamorous setting of San Francisco but 'The Fates' is evidence that his Black Country roots run deep.
As such, this excellent album can be regarded as a study on Englishness rather than a tribute to Americana. All the more so since Edwards' melancholy baritone voice is part Jarvis Cocker croon, part Paul Weller-ish white man's soul.
The declaration "I'm English, so English, ridiculously" on The Way To The Stars hardly sounds celebratory which explains why on The English Blues he wonders out loud whether his origins should be regarded a blessing or a curse.
Whatever the actual sources are, the fact remains that listeners will be more likely to draw Anglocentic connections rather than look to Stateside influences. For instance, the way the bridge on Ghost bears a passing resemblance to Cream's 'Pressed Rat And Warthog' and that "holding on for dear life" on The English Blues also happens to be very similar to a line in Elvis Costello's 'Shipbuilding'.
With pastoral arrangements featuring accordion, cello and strings these songs could easily have ended up as a worthy yet forlorn set of ballads. However, thanks largely to the coup of recruiting legendary guitarist Fred Frith to augment the highly proficient SF based backing band, the tracks have a rich sense of space and depth.
The material may be less rollickingly Bowie-like or electric than his former band The Music Lovers but they still manage to pack a punch.
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As a literature graduate with a day job as an occupational therapist, Edwards clearly knows a thing or two about the psychological power of language. So, instead of singing something like 'babe I miss you so bad' he'll come up with a line like "I'm in the throes of a fever you've immersed me in" (Ghost).
Paradoxes like "I think things were clearer when they made less sense" (Accident) also display a level of wordplay that distinguishes the songs from disposable pop songs.
Further evidence of cultured, literate leanings can be gleaned from the fact that his band are named after cultish author B.S.Johnson and that one song is a tribute to French film actress Sandrine Bonnaire.
For these reasons, Edwards' music, like his gentleman's attire, has been accurately described as "louche and urbane".
In short, these are, for the most part, sophisticated songs for smart folks well worth finding time for.
Matthew Edwards and the Unfortunates' website
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