To me, it's always a sign of desperation when an artist or band reaches into their own back-catalog to re-record stuff. I've never really been a fan of that sort of thing. I think I can begrudingly accept Pete Astor doing it because the guy's got a 40-year recording career that spans The Loft, The Weather Prophets, Wisdom of Harry, and solo. So that's a way of saying that Tall Stories & New Religions is best enjoyed by those with a bit of love for Astor already built up.
"Disney Queen", a Wisdom of Harry number, gets a warm workout here, as does "Head Over Heels" by The Weather Prophets. These numbers work well, the tunes being resilient enough to handle these new versions. That said, where this record hits a stride is on the numbers where Astor doesn't sound like he's wearing a Dylan influence on his sleeve. "Chinese Cadillac", a Weather Prophets B-side is a bit too twang-y for my taste, but "She Comes from the Rain", also from Weather Prophets, hits a nice vibe not unlike that of early recordings from era contemporaries The Lilac Time. "Model Village", a plaintive number from the recent reunion of The Loft, is another gem here, one where the piano leads the melody wistfully.
Tall Stories & New Religions by Pete Astor is out now via Tapete Records.
[Photo: Elena Ferreras]