The Unfairground is a 2007 album by Kevin Ayers, recorded with members of Ladybug Transistor, Teenage Fanclub, Neutral Milk Hotel, Gorky's Zygotic Mynci and Roxy Music.[8] It was his sixteenth studio LP and his first new set of recordings in fifteen years, as well as the last album released before his death in 2013. It was recorded in New York City; Tucson, Arizona; London; and Glasgow.[9] It debuted at No. 14 in the UK Indie Album chart.
| The Unfairground | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | September 2007 | |||
| Recorded | 2006–2007 | |||
| Studio | Wavelab Studios, Tucson, Arizona Marlborough Farms, New York City Eastcote Studios & Gallery Studios, London YipJump Studios, Glasgow | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 34:02 | |||
| Label | LO-MAX | |||
| Producer | Timothy Shepard, Peter Henderson and Gary Olson | |||
| Kevin Ayers chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [1] |
| BBC | very favourable[2] |
| Mojo | [3] |
| Q | [4] |
| Stylus | A−[5] |
| The Times | [6] |
| Uncut | 4/5[7] |
The Unfairground deals with themes of love, loss and the passing of time, and it has received strong critical endorsements for its author's ruminations on his tumultuous life.[10] Ayers stated in a 2007 Sunday Times interview that it is "very much a reflective album: lost love, lost feelings, lost sensibilities. I had to include some of my blood, sweat and tears – if you are going to be honest, it can't be avoided."[11]
Track listing
editAll tracks are written by Kevin Ayers
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Only Heaven Knows" | 2:47 |
| 2. | "Cold Shoulder" | 3:09 |
| 3. | "Walk on Water" | 3:14 |
| 4. | "Friends and Strangers" | 3:36 |
| 5. | "Shine a Light" | 3:47 |
| 6. | "Wide Awake" | 2:54 |
| 7. | "Baby Come Home" | 2:36 |
| 8. | "Brainstorm" | 4:31 |
| 9. | "Unfairground" | 3:51 |
| 10. | "Run, Run, Run" | 3:37 |
Personnel
editMusicians
edit- Kevin Ayers – guitar, vocals
- Gary Olson – trumpet, producer
- San Fadyl – drums
- Jeff Baron – guitar
- Norman Blake – guitar, backing vocals
- Francis MacDonald – drums
- Julian Koster – singing saw
- Candie Payne – backing vocals
- Euros Childs – backing vocals
- Bill Wells – bass
- Joe McGinty – keyboards
- Phil Manzanera – guitar
- Robbie McIntosh – guitar
- Hugh Hopper – bass
- Daisy Martey – backing vocals
- Tucson Philharmonia – strings
- Bridget St. John – vocals
- Dave McGowan – pedal steel
- Heather McIntosh – bass, cello
- Kellie Sutherland – brass
- Tara Shackell – brass
- Isobel Knowles – brass
- Gus Franklin – brass
- Graham Henderson – accordion
- Peter Nicholson – cello
- Francis Reader – backing vocals
- The Wyattron
Technical
edit- Peter Henderson – producer
- Timothy Shepard – producer, artwork, executive producer
- Bernard MacMahon – executive producer
References
edit- ^ Jurek, Thom. The Unfairground at AllMusic
- ^ De Ledesma, Charles (14 September 2007). "BBC – Music – Review of Kevin Ayers – The Unfairground". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
- ^ Clifford, Danny (September 2007). "MOJO review September 2007". users.globalnet.co.uk. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
- ^ Kane, Peter. "Q review September 2007". users.globalnet.co.uk. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
- ^ Atkinson, Mike (26 October 2007). "Kevin Ayers – The Unfairground – Review – Stylus Magazine". stylusmagazine.com. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
- ^ The Times review
- ^ Gill, Andy. "Kevin Ayers – The Unfairground – Uncut.co.uk". uncut.co.uk. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
- ^ Pitchfork July 31 2007 Archived 2007-10-11 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Album liner notes
- ^ Mojo September 2007
- ^ The Times, The unsung hero of psychedelia[dead link]
External links
edit- "Kevin Ayers Returns With Help From Roxy, Ladybug, Architecture" by Paul Thompson and Amy Phillips (Pitchfork, 31 July 2007) link
- "Indie Stars Guest On Rock Legend's First Album In 15 Years" (NME, 10 August 2007) link
- "The Father of the Underground" by Garth Cartwright (The Daily Telegraph, 30 August 2007) link
- "The Unsung Hero of Psychedelia" by Lisa Verrico (The Sunday Times, 2 September 2007) link[dead link]
- "Soft Centered" by Pierre Perrone (The Independent, 11 September 2007) link
- Album review by Andy Gill (Uncut, September 2007) link
- Album review by Mike Barnes (Mojo, September 2007) link
- "Kevin Ayers" by Mike Atkinson (Stylus, 23 October 2007) link
- "Kevin Ayers and Robert Wyatt" by Simon Reynolds (Reynoldsretro, 14 December 2007) link