Description
MILES TO GO
A collection of thirteen ‘new acoustic’ instrumentals written, produced and performed by David Hyams, along with many fine Australian musicians on a world spanning array of instruments that includes mandolin, uillean and highland bagpipes, cello, celtic harp, wood flute, concertina, french horn and percussion. Miles To Go blends celtic, country-blues and other folk influences, taking inspiration from journeys in the West Australian outback and through the celtic lands. The album has attracted considerable radio airplay across Australia and a string of great reviews worldwide, including a thumbs up in the prestigious UK-based Froots magazine.
David Hyams – Miles To Go
CD review by Tony Smith
TN037-8 – $25
TN174 Dec 25
The opening medley of this album of about 45 minutes duration evokes north-west WA.
‘Big Sky Country, Beating Around the Bush and Stormy Sky at Skull Springs’ tell of actual events.
The flat landscape, bouncing around in a vehicle and the heavens opening.
Then ‘Watching the Wheels’ describes a huge ore train rattling past.
While all tracks on this album were written and produced by Hyams, he thanks numerous friends and supporters and acknowledges an extract from Bruce Chatwin’s ‘Songlines’.
Hyams is joined here by musicians David Macdonald (bodhran), Dougal Adams (wood flute, highland bagpipes), Marcus Dengate (various basses), Sally Maer (cello), Ormonde Waters (concertina, Uilleann pipes, whistles), Weney D’souza (percussion), Bill Stewart (French horn), Cameron Brook (tuba), James Hewgill (piano), Lucky Oceans (pedal steel), Sean Priest (trumpet) and Shelly Cox (Celtic harp).
On the technical side, Hyams thanks David Macdonald for having enough belief in the project to travel across the country to be assistant producer.
A number of people, including Cherie Butcher, assisted with photographs, design and artwork.
It is not surprising that Hyams was the main arranger because he is well known in the West as a producer.
He has worked with many artists including Bernard Carney and the Mantamaru Community and has produced soundtracks and conducted songwriting workshops in WA prisons.
His generosity with time and skill is renowned.
A few tracks concern musicians and the creative process.
‘Miles to Go/ Cantolibre on the New England Highway’ recognises a difficult journey south with a Latin American ensemble.
‘Something for Nothing’ is about that rare occasion when a tune springs to mind fully formed almost of its own accord.
No work seems necessary.
When Hyams learnt a new tuning from Scottish guitarist Tony McManus in a pub, he was inspired to write about the beer and the evening in ‘The Old Speckled Hen and Three for the Road’.
Hyams wrote ‘Dust into Dusk’ after watching dust motes spiralling in the twilight in a wheatbelt town.
The dobro features in ‘Fitzroy River Running’ written for a documentary about actor Ningalli Lawford set in the Kimberleys.
‘The Journey into Ireland’ describes memories of the contrasting moods that arose while there and has a distinctive Celtic feel.
The Uilleann pipes are hauntingly beautiful.
After the trip, Hyams spent some time basking in sun-rich Fremantle, writing the upbeat ‘New Year’s Day, Renewing the Fire and A Place in the Sun’.
‘Miles to Go (part 2)’ took Hyams back in imagination at least to Ireland.
The flute carries this track along.
‘Darlington Farewell’ is a song about parting.
When David took a pre-dawn walk around Edinburgh Castle, he decided to collaborate with pipers Dougal and Ormonde, and the result was ‘Before the Dawn/ Storming the Barricades’.
‘Hanging Gardens’ expresses the great pleasure to be found in waking in the bush with the birds, and the cello and piano create a peaceful finale.
The pictures on the sleeve of this 1999-2000 CD are similar to those on Hyams’ ‘Travelling Bones’.
He is walking away, down the road with his guitar in case.
No doubt this indicates not laziness or lack of imagination but modesty.
Hyams plays acoustic guitars, electric slide guitars, cittern, mandolin, dobro and bodhran and his arrangements make these tunes live.
Fans of plucked instruments, and particularly finger style guitar, will enjoy this album.
Destinations are all very well but when the journey is with David Hyams the miles don’t matter at all.
Ed. David Hyams has three albums for sale from the Trad&Now website, most of which have also been uploaded to Trad&Now Live! and can be heard there from time to time.
