Tristram : 'Someone Told Me A Poem' EP
Released: Out Now!!!
Label: Oh, Inverted World!
Aaaah, Tristram. I heard a lot of hype around this gentleman before finally getting around to making one of his shows and, in all fairness, I wasn’t disappointed. He has neo-folk stylings that work very well on stage and a wistful sense of stage humour that make him an absolute pleasure to watch on stage.
I was interested to see how this would translate on to record and, thankfully it turns out, I need not have worried as it sounds just as lovely on record as on stage. Though there are subtle differences between the two formats or styles, if you will. On stage a large part of the warmth comes from personality and the in between song explanations and jokes whereas on the record the intricacies of the songs shine through in a clearer fashion and the lyrics much more definable and, thus, one can pick up on the amusing lyrics and subject matters he uses in his song writing that have seen comparisons to Jeffrey Lewis.
Opening on the title track, the mournful chord changes strike an instant poignancy before the haunting cello glides in from the background over the top of the plucked guitar. A fairly simple verse/chorus pattern underpins the song, but as one cannot deny the pre loveliness of the song it matters not. Second track, “Ballad Of A Stolen Bicycle” is about just that. A deep, cello driven piece that is backed up by a vaguely military beat that comes in at around the minute mark. A minute and a half in and we are treated to piece of Spanish guitar played out on the ukulele and from here the instruments continue to weave in and out of each other before a quiet, one man and his uke, ode to the stolen appendage. Oddly I feel a distinct classical/baroque influence on this track, which deeply suits the melancholic loss of ones two wheeled transportation.
“Me And James Dean” tells the amusing story of be accompanied in a love fuelled street battle with a rival and trumping one’s rival by teaming up with the cinematic legend name dropped in the title. Oh, and about being taught by rap legends Public Enemy how to fight the system. See, there’s that humour pouring out, all over this simple folk backdrop. While closing us out is the interestingly titled, “Zombie Holocaust”, which seems to be about the thought of how one would react to save your “…loved one” from outside threat and then not being there when she needs you. A song which out to be heartbreaking, but thee is something inherent in Tristram’s song writing and lyricism which inevitably ends up drawing a smile to one’s lips. And frankly, that’s the way it should be.
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