Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
The temperature rose, the heat that has been kept constant has found the listener almost agog with anticipation of what the pairing behind the hugely inspiring Milton Hide could magic up next, and with expected enchantment and a sizeable nod to the composite nature of building that can be found on the Sussex coast, Bungaroosh is a true response to the world’s call for highly original music, and one that traverses genres with accomplishment and charm.
Jim Tipler and Jo Church’s third album together under the Milton Hide name is musically, as expected, and critically eclectic, a diversity of sound that ranges across the traditional, Folk, Americana, Ragtime, and Folk Rock and the art of the Progressive in detail without squandering a drop of the individuality and convincing delight they have packed into their ideas and music so far.
Following on from their debut and sophomore recordings, Temperature’s Rising, and The Holloway respectively, the lessons studied from the benefit of hindsight find themselves immersed into the process of Bungaroosh, the mixture of musical materials building solidly as individual tracks but as a whole, one that is a creative and abundant pleasure.
As tracks such as Festival Of Freaks, which captures the spirit of inspiration when far from home, Judge, Jury And Executioner, the bitterness of exploitation in Quicksand Calling as the beauty of Morecombe Bay gives way to the loss of life suffered in 2004 by the Chinese community who were caught unawares as they plied their trade as cockle pickers, and the excellence of Voodoo Queen pumping a special kind of rock induced fear of storytelling within the album, what comes through is a steady, collected, unrepentant display of fascinating songs that tickles the imagination and relishes the drama created.
The art of creating intrigue is to play on the title you present your work with, to build something from the materials close at hand and turn them into a concept from the foundations up; and in uniqueness, in turning the impression into reality, Bungaroosh is a belief of notions, the theory that a house of music can be constructed and last a lifetime. A genuine sense of cool surrounds this enjoyable album from Milton Hide.
Milton Hide release Bungaroosh on 19th April.
Ian D. Hall