Review:'Knott, Roger' 'Pull The Plow That Furrows Deepest'
- Label: 'Think Like A Key Music'
- Genre: 'Folk'
- Release Date: '1.11.24.'- Catalogue No: 'TLAK1186'
Our Rating:
Pull The Plow That Furrows Deepest is a career spanning collection of songs written throughout his career and re-recorded between 2017 and 2021. Roger was an original member of Lifeblud who were part of the late 60's early 70's Hemel Hempstead/St Albans scene. The Bands first album recorded in 1970 was only pressed on 3 Acetates and didn't come out properly until decades after. The bands one live album was recorded at Bowes Lyon House, Stevenage while opening for Stray in 1971. I hope they pulled more fans than when my band opened for Stray in 1996 and five people showed up.
The album opens with the bright jangly Pathway of least resistance a flight into the ways to get through life without more trouble than necessary.
Summer Flower I assume was one of his early songs, it has a familiar air to its gentle yearning for being out in nature on a sunny summers day.
Rescue has a rather magisterial guitar solo that is central to the song, certainly the part that drew me in. Of Hatred's Hand tries to find a way to destroy the seeds of hate, with prog folk trying to bring hope and love instead of hatred.
Waterside takes us down by the river for some gentle mixing, integrating into new places and spaces, this is one of the nicest evocations of arriving in new lands I can remember hearing.
City Wheels appears to be in praise of the commuters who leave and return to Hemel on a daily basis, the dormitory town existence played out over a great organ line and steady bass.
Strange Powers is sparse acoustic guitar folk song, claiming you can walk under ladders and do all sorts of derring do, allowing you to control Roger by the wiles of lust and love, so he will be your eternal one.
The Great Lost Love is full of the regrets for that special one that got away, this has a bucolic edge and some very cool slide guitar.
Bridge is a sad song for those we miss since they crossed that bridge, the guitar playing is plangent and feels full of regret.
Swallows Are Leaving on the annual migrations to South Africa, only to return next year, the folky backing is a perfect send off. Ravens Wing is suitably darker sounding evocation of a Ravens life.
Waxing Of The Moon is gentle laid back and rather pretty song for gazing at the night sky.
So Be It is a song of loss as his ex passes him by, on her way to some other place, she has moved on and barely even notices him, the carefully picked guitars full of pain and also the memories of past glories.
The album closes with Man Of War that wonders at what wisdom, the warrior that survives, might have to stop any future wars, the gentle folk rock is decorated with a slowly rising guitar solo.
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