REVIEW: 'Notes & Rhymes' - The Proclaimers

Clearly as a self-confessed fan of The Proclaimers it is very difficult for me to be impartial with a review for their latest album ‘Notes & Rhymes’, however look at it this way, I know their work inside out from over the years. So how does their eighth album fair? Have Scotland’s favourite sons still got it? Let’s find out...

Following on from the epic release ‘Life With You’ two years ago, Charlie and Craig Reid returned to Rockfield Studios in Wales along with producer Steve Evans for what would be the recording of the fastest written Proclaimers record to date. Only six months after coming off an extensive 18-month world tour the album was ready to be recorded. Look, they’ve been doing this since 1987, if they don’t know what they are doing then The Proclaimers would be “no more” by now!

The title track for ‘Notes & Rhymes’ opens the record up with a rockabilly sound echoing shades from The Proclaimers influences of classic early rock’n’roll music. It’s a fun-filled affair with comparing the love of music to that of a woman. It’s an attention grabber for sure and probably reason enough to have this as the first track on the LP.

‘Love Can Move Mountains’ is the first single release from this record and is an instant Proclaimers classic. I’d put it up there with ‘Sunshine On Leith’ personally, although I’m sure some may suggest it’s got a wee bit to go before it’s on the same plane. Lush production and a gargantuan chorus that is just begging to be sung along to. Who am I to argue with that? Lyrically it has the charms of any Proclaimers love song from over the years. Those familiar traits are there, the romance, the vulnerability and most importantly, the honesty. This is a song that sadly will never get the true recognition it deserves (much like ‘Life With You’ from the previous album) but to anyone who hears it with romance in their heart is bound to fall in love with this one.

The strong start to ‘Notes & Rhymes’ continues with ‘Three More Days’, a song steeped in the tradition of many songs over the years about heading back home. Written on a beach in America while thinking about Scotland. There is an underlying urgency that washes over you with prominence as the song continues to build up to a stirring beat that you can’t help but be taken to the place and people you consider home. Strong guitars and pounding beat with some under-stated vocals before they take off.

There are a couple of cover versions on the album in the form of the Damien Dempsey song ‘Sing All Our Cares Away’, which may surprise those who aren’t aware that this is not a track penned by the Reid brothers as it fits them like a glove. ‘It Was Always So Easy (To Find An Unhappy Woman)’ is the other and is unashamedly classic country, fortunately not half as whiney the original recording. Thank Gawd!

Other highlights on this very strong recording is the “war song” that is ‘I Know’ that holds a few surprises, including a “breakdown” that is something we’ve not really heard from The Proclaimers before but then nor is the reprise of it at the end of the record. I was blown away by it on my first play but the real “go to track” of ‘Notes & Rhymes’ for me is ‘Wages of Sin’. This will no doubt remain a hidden gem to so many but there is so much going on in this song it almost feels like it’s not a Proclaimers song. Vocally they have never sounded better, the harmonies are immense and musically it has all the layers that ‘Life With You’ had. There is only one problem with ‘Wages of Sin’, and that is you need to listen to it loud... actually, come to think of it, that’s not a problem at all, is it?!

It’s worth mentioning there is a special edition of ‘Notes & Rhymes’ that contains four acoustic versions of tracks from the LP plus six live tracks from their Edinburgh Castle gig last year (which took place the day before they played Inverness for any locals reading this!). The live tracks are the anthems ‘I’m On My Way’ and ‘Letter From America’, along with past hidden gems of ‘Scotland’s Story’ and ‘Sky Takes Your Soul’ (so good to finally have a live version of that!) and the sing-along ‘Life With You’ and the Wreckless Eric song ‘Whole Wide World’, of which the man himself features on this version.

So the verdict? You need one?! What the heck have you just been reading?! OK, OK, so for the stupid people... ‘Notes & Rhymes’ is not a return to form for The Proclaimers because the guys remain on form. Since their “return” in 2001 with the ‘Persevere’ record, Charlie and Craig haven’t missed a beat. That’s not to ignore the early albums, far from it, I still think ‘Hit The Highway’ is one of their finest efforts to date (if most under-rated) and everyone knows about hit-laden ‘Sunshine On Leith’. Where ‘Notes & Rhymes’ lands in grand scheme of Proclaimers albums it’s hard to say at this stage as it’s just been released and so it’s finding it’s feet with the listener but with a good dose of what is to be expected from a Proclaimers record along with a few positive deviations along the way, it’s fair to say that ‘Notes & Rhymes’ is a strong enough collection of songs that you’ll keep coming back to... so, much like every other Proclaimers record then... and that really is no bad thing at all!!