Peter Harvey – Shanghai Ply

Peter Harvey is a Brisbane-based songwriter and musician. Over the years Peter has worked with many fine players in some great line ups and is a member of the band Rough Red. Peter Harvey is a prolific writer and multi-instrumentalist.

CD review by Chris Spencer

Shanghai ply refers to a small inexpensive Chinese-made student guitar. Looking at the cover and at some of the liner notes, I was expecting an album of instrumentals played on the Shanghai guitar. Harvey states the approach of the album “has been to capture the raw energy of new songs in live performance and then enhance the solo performance with the addition of various sounds.” Some of the sounds Harvey adds includes other guitars, sitar, piano accordion, synthesiser, mandolin, keyboards, bass and war drums – all played by himself. Only on one song, “Holding the Line” do guests supplement the project.

I preferred the upbeat tempo of “Raining Blues”; “Out in the Storm” is the most ‘folky’ song, with its use of the piano accordion and format; “Fire” is a bit darker, with more drone in the [electric?] guitar. The last track, “Holding the Line” a 6 minute epic is based around a shuffle rhythm pattern. For the most part, the songs are based around the acoustic guitar, slowish, with plaintive vocals. This simple arrangement works well to engage our attention, so there’s little chance of the lyrics escaping our attention. Peter outlines the background of each song in the liner notes.

Harvey is from Brisbane and is a member of Rough Red, whose music is in complete contrast to this mellow album. Recommended for those who prefer their music laid back, acoustic and interesting.