Description
Carnival of Clowns is an album by the British folk-pop duo Phil & John (Phil Baggaley and John Hartley), released on Kingsway Music in September 1992, and in the US on Storyville Records in 1993, a division of R.E.X. Music.
As our feature documents this issue, Derby’s favourite sons have jumped through their fair share of stylistic hoops down the years. But now with their own label they’re no longer prepared to play footsy with America’s CCM industry in the restless search for the American radio hit. Instead the lads have made the album they’ve been wanting to make for years. It’s a good time to make it. For their love of acoustic music, remember they started off way-back when aping acoustic gospel harmonisers Malcolm and Alwyn, and can now return to that gently loping sound at a time when the Back To Acoustic movement is gathering momentum on Britain’s Christian music scene. Not that the band have moved into ‘folk roots’ (though the mandolin on the rhythmic opener «Redemption Song» had me second-taking). It’s just that there’s a new emphasis on their strengths, billowing acoustics and bitter-sweet harmonies. The songs? Well, I loved the ballad «When Geneyeve Calls» while the appeal of «Teach Me How To Live Again» is brought out by some lovely sax work. There’s one bit of jokeyness, the false honkey-tonk piano intro on the title track. Judging from its initial sales surge P&J’s loyal following have already decided that the back-to-basics Phil And John is what they’ve been waiting for. [Tony Cummings, Cross Rhythms, October 1992]
CD tracklist:
01. Redemption Song
02. Love’s A Friend Of Mine
03. When Geneveve Calls
04. She’s Always On My Mind
05. Morning Light
06. Carnival Of Clowns
07. Lighthouse Of My Soul
08. Winter’s Close
09. Heaven’s Blue Smile
10. Teach Me How To Live Again
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and CD.
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