Cross Rhythms album review

My new album has been reviewed by Cross Rhythms:

9/10

“To take the time to listen to this album is to take the time to become totally spellbound by it. Where there are albums in your life that you play and listen to without ever really affecting you, this is an album that truly takes over and plays you, with a soulful, intimate sound of longing and despair that many bands of the moment could only aspire to.

The singer has a powerful emotive voice that is effecting on both his own compositions and on cover versions from sources as diverse as Andrew Lloyd-Webber, The Velvet Underground, U2 and, on the classic song which gives the album its title, Steve Taylor.

With an eclectic mix of deeply relaxing, atmospheric backings and more raucous accompaniments, it is clear that Calamateur, otherwise known as Andrew Howie, is a very special talent and it is little wonder that his music is turning heads in the industry.

This is a collection of powerfully honest songs that will compel you to wake up and take stock. Highlight tracks are “I Can Hear Her Breathing”, “Talitha K”, “Wake Up Dead Man” and the haunting title track.”

Is This Music? album review

My new album has been reviewed by Is This Music?.

Here it is:

“So, if Jesus is just a Spanish boy’s name, why have so many dedicated tunes to him – and I’m not just talking the Songs of Praise crew. On this unusual and free-to-download album, Andrew Howie has gathered together versions by some of the more credible Christ songs as well as a few surprises.

The good news first – this is no ‘Saved’ (Bob Dylan’s all-time-low) but there have been stabs at putting JC into a rock context – from Broken Family Band’s Jesus Songs, to Hefner’s wee series of ‘Hymns’ to Alcohol and Cigarettes, as well as Breaking God’s Heart. Hell, even Godspell had its moments.

Calamateur’s homage isn’t all strictly religion either, more examining human nature and faith – so there are originals such as ‘White Light Unknown’ which deals with suicide, and a punked-up ‘Perfect Moment’. However, it’ll be the covers that are of most interest – even if these two are a match for anything else here.

Lloyd Webber’s ‘I Don’t Know How To Love Him’ is well, odd – it’s hard to get round the fact that Howie’s vocals sit where Elaine Paige’s should be, and this takes the communion wafer for most bizarre track here (or indeed, pretty much anywhere). The U2-penned ‘Wake Up Dead Man’ is one of the better ones here, beating Zwan’s ‘Jesus, I’ hands down, while the stripped-back version of the Velvets ‘Jesus’ – not one of the band’s finest moments – doesn’t lend too much to the album apart from a kind of completism and the sense that there’s something here that’s definitely not one from the hymnbook.

It would be too easy, given that Howie has chosen the tunes and arranged them himself, to suggest that his own material is better than that of Bono and American Music Club. But from the blatant pop of ‘Lonely Boy’ which combines gospel and football terrace chant, to the fantastic ‘Talitha K’, Howie himself constantly comes up trumps, putting the covers in the shade. They always say that the devil has the best tunes, but I’m not so sure.

(free download from www.jesusisforlosers.co.uk)”

By Bernhard Bessing

Jesus is for Losers – listeners’ comments

This post is a collection of kind comments people have made about my Jesus is for Losers album so far. Please feel free to add your own thoughts in the comments box below, or email me. I am happy to accept negative comments as well……within reason!

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“…some of the songs on that record are probably some of my favourite things you’ve put out…I love the opening track and how it leads into a brilliant reading of Steve Taylor…”

“…loving Jesus Is For Losers – it’s excellent…”

“…What a great start! Two fantastic tracks. I’ve always loved the Steve Taylor song, and you put a whole other emotional spin on it to the original…”

“…I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed your latest song, Jesus is for Losers. It is really really beautiful. With the build-up from calm and serene to an enveloping soundscape that draws images in my head, along with stunning vocals all around, it really hit the spot with me… and you’ve yet again proved you cannot do anything wrong…”

“…I love your version of Jesus is for Losers -it’s a very worthy version to rival the original…”

“…Loving the slow release of the Jesus Is For Losers songs. Keep ‘em coming!”

“…i have been listening to Jesus is for Losers a fair bit recently…White Light Unknown is a brilliant piece of song-writing – I love it!!!!”

“Just wanted to say – JIFL is a great album. I have listened to it a lot over the last few months, and it is good to see it out as a whole. ….keep up the good work.”

“yet again your music is addictive, i can’t stop listening to it.”

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(again, feel free to add your own thoughts on the album by adding a comment to this post or by emailing me.)

Album review in The List

My new album has been reviewed by the Scottish arts and events magazine The List:

Calamateur – Jesus is for Losers

4/5

(self-release)

LO-FI

The world needs mavericks like Calamateur. Holed up somewhere outside Inverness, Andrew Howie has been making a find blend of folk, rock and electronica for almost a decade, with this latest offering typically brimming with invention and considerable skill.

A concept album of sorts featuring covers of songs about Jesus and a handful of original tunes, it’s utterly engaging and heartfelt, from the bluesy stomp of ‘Lonely Boy’ to the heartbreaking cover of ‘I Don’t Know How to Love Him’ from the Jesus Christ Superstar soundtrack. Yes, really. The whole album is available free from www.jesusisforlosers.co.uk, a donation nets you a bonus five-track EP. Do it now.

by Doug Johnstone.

http://www.list.co.uk/article/16020-calamateur-jesus-is-for-losers/