Chris Judge Smith - Curly's Airships (England 2000) [ProgRock] @320

Perhaps one of the most ambitious projects attempted by any artist for many years "Curly's Airships" is a conceptual song-story by occasional Peter Hammill collaborator Judge Smith. Based on the ill-fated R101 airship, this impressive work was six years in the making and features a cast including Hammill, Arthur Brown, Pete Brown, David Jackson, Hugh Banton and Paul Roberts.
Before you let the word 'concept' put you off, the calibre and ability of the musicians saves the album from becoming tedious. In fact, it's most entertaining. The performances are enthusiastic and well-executed, with the second disc providing the most satisfying moments. Musically, one can draw comparisons with Frank Zappa's more complex work, but that doesn't really do it justice.
Aside from the originality of the music, the detailed historical research by Smith almost justifies purchase alone - a lavishly illustrated 48-page booklet features informative historical background. A wonderful and well-crafted work for which Judge Smith deserves much praise.

CD1
01 - Voices from a Crystal Set
02 - Walking Her Out
03 - Curly Takes Us Up
04 - Drifting About Like a Bad Smell
05 - Curly in the Clouds
06 - A Capital Idea
07 - A Shrieking of Aluminium
08 - Curly on Civvy Street
09 - That Imperial Airship Scheme
10 - From the Sidelines
11 - A Kindly Sort of Cove
12 - Curly at Cardington
13 - A Creature of Grace
14 - A Byronic Sort of Blighter

CD2
01 - Big Chief and some Minor Bugs
02 - The Canadian Run
03 - Conan Doyle and the Flying Sieve
04 - Horrors at Hendon
05 - As Safe as a House
06 - A Ship of Fools
07 - The Night Before
08 - The Morning After
09 - Bedford to Hastings
10 - Hastings to Beauvais
11 - The Muffled Drum
12 - The Final Taboo


JUDGE SMITH: Vocals and Bass & Drums
JOHN ELLIS: Electric Guitars & Ebow, Mandolin
HUGH BANTON: Organs & Piano
DAVID SHAW-PARKER: Acoustic Guitar, Banjo, Vocals & Actor
ARTHUR BROWN: Vocals
PETE BROWN: Percussion & Vocals
PETER HAMMILL, PAUL ROBERTS, PAUL THOMPSON: Vocals
DAVID JACKSON: Saxophones & Whistle
JOE HINCHLIFF: Accordion
RIKKI PATTEN: Supplementary Guitar
IAN FORDHAM: Bass Guitar & Double bass
RENE VAN COMMENEE: Tabla, Ghatam & Tambura
TAMMO HEIKENS: Sitar & Tambura
NICK LUCAS: Vocals & Actor
GWENDOLYN GRAY, MIKE BELL: Actor
THE MYSTERY MARCHING BAND

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