Thursday, April 14, 2011

Ralph Atkinson - Un Condo en San Diego

Hear The Track Here


There are many, many English men and women who work hard, save their money and make do with a slightly lesser life secure in their dream of savinge nough to retire to their very own place in the sun. Usually that ends in some fly-blown corner of Spain or Portugal or even - if you have real money - Italy, but usually when you are too old and ****** to really enjoy such an idyllic setting. Well, take heart fellow citizens because Canadians do exactly the same thing - well, according to Ralph Atkinson they do. While I do indeed understand the drive to want to do such a thing for your old age, I discovered early on in my life that putting all your eggs in one basket is never a good idea.

Shit, as the saying goes, happens.

So, there are these Canadians, no doubt shivering their bollocks off in that Canuckian cold dreaming of the delight of a sun-drenched patio somewhere in Southern California (San Diego in this case) and no doubt when they are ready to retire down there they will be just in time for The Big One and get squished by California sliding into the Pacific. Better to die onstage and working I say. Ralph, obviously, takes a definitely more upbeat route to the subject (although he mentions TBO and slipping into the sea too, so I'm not the only doom merchant around). Bloody good job then that Ralph Atkinson is not just a good musician but a pretty fine songwriter into the bargain.

On Un Condo en San Diego he takes a lightweight, almost reggae approach to the track sounding - at least to my ears - eerily like 10cc back in the day and I think that has to be a huge compliment to Ralph. There again, quality work has long been this musicians trademark and it's a rare track that doesn't cut the musical mustard, as the string of Must Have's he has gathered amply testifies. Can't wear with my hand on my heart that I actually raved about this but that has more to do with my own personal bias than anything Ralph is doing wrong. Considering I don't usually like reggae flavoured pop, this is a very good blend of West Coast laid back stylee, mixed with island riddims that works a treat.

Highly Recommended Reggae pop.

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