Description
One Way Ticket is a studio album by the British singer, songwriter, and blues guitarist Bryn Haworth, independently released on his own label Bella Music in 2010. The album was recorded at ICC Studios in Eastbourne, England (except “Once in Royal David’s City” and “Trust In Me” recorded at Derby Day Studios); with Bryn Haworth and Neil Costello producing. All songs written by Bryn Haworth except the trad. tracks 2, 6, and 12 (which were arranged by Haworth).
Five years is an extensive sabbatical for renowned blues singer/songwriter Bryn Haworth. The much loved blues influences are still clearly there on the title track opener with the opening line stating, “I’m standing on the platform, waiting for a train.” The execution of Bryn’s acoustic on Blind Willie Johnson‘s «Nobody’s Fault But Mine» is faultless while elsewhere the combination of mandolin and slide is extremely satisfying. The sturdiest item is «Inside Out» with the simple, powerful lyric, “I’ve been changed from the inside out” and a classic Hammond organ line played by Mark Edwards reinforcing the chorus. A foray into reggae, «God Is My Strength» displays Bryn’s depth of songwriting. One of the instrumental tracks «Up On The Downs», has a gentle shuffle backbeat while a complete re-working of the Christmas evergreen «Once In Royal David’s City» features another guitar maestro, Phil Keaggy. [Theo Bowyer, Cross Rhythms, December 2011]
Five years is a long wait for a Bryn Haworth album (and now he releases two in a single month). It seems even longer since he seriously immersed himself in blues; his last release Keep the Faith only featured one acoustic blues outing, the Maggi Dawn piece «Wash Me Clean». But in this case, the longer you wait, the better the product at the end.
There is plenty to excite the music-lover before even pressing the play button. The track listing includes «Nobody’s Fault but Mine», so much more popular since Led Zeppelin adopted it, and his backing musicians are as talented as he is. Both long-term drumming colleague Henry Spinetti and bassist Dave Bronze have played with Eric Clapton, Roger Daltrey, George Harrison and Procol Harum; Manfred Mann harpist Paul Jones guests and other players include keyboardist Mark Edwards (Chris Rea, Aztec Camera), Karlos Edwards (Take That, Duffy) on percussion and backing vocalist Mal Pope (Art Garfunkel).
If I had only 50 albums to take to a desert island, I’m pretty sure that Haworth’s Sunny Side of the Street would be on the list, and this release has many of the same elements. Tracks like «Hard Times», «Inside Out», «Best Worst Thing» and the title track stand on the borderline between riffiness and blues and these are the qualities that so endeared him to British Christians starved of quality rock in the Sunny Side and One Way Ticket both have plenty of variety and share a light, funky touch that makes them even sprightlier. The acoustic blues roots workout «Nobody’s Fault but Mine» is always going to appeal to the same bunch, so strengthening this album’s appeal.
Whatever Haworth does has a sensitive touch, whether his soft-edged vocals or the delicate touches of mandolin and slide. Ever since his early live staple «Anywhere You Want to Be», his instrumental tracks have been ones to watch out for. There are two here: «Up on the Downs», a gentle acoustic shuffle with slide-led lead lines and an instantly “gettable” melody; and a complete re-working of «Once in Royal David’s City». It comes from such an ambient place that it takes a good 90 seconds to start to recognise the melody. If he brought out a complete album of tracks like this, I’d be well up the queue to get hold of it.
Not everything quite fits together. Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s «Strange Things Happening Every Day» has a feel here that may be a bit too dated (although the “ev-er-y-day” refrain uses vocals to do what brass sections do and is very catchy). Every time the light jazz of «Let’s Go Out Tonight» starts, it reminds me of Eric Idle singing «Look on the Bright Side of Life» and its “shoo-be-doo”s will similarly appeal to more of a pre-rock audience. «God is my Strength» is about the only track that doesn’t really spark. Its reggae stylings are somehow unconvincing, although the playing is again superb.
Whether on the rockier, instrumental or older-styled material, Haworth’s playing is as instinctive as it is accomplished. He knows when to break into or out of riffs, and his fills bring the right sound in at the right point to create maximum effect. It all comes together on a track like «Inside Out». Its groove is like the backbone of Redbone’s «Witch Queen of New Orleans» and it builds to a celebratory chorus, “I’ve been changed from the inside out.”
Haworth came to faith after he had a record contract with Island Records, so he has proven skills outside of worship music. He regularly integrates his faith with other subjects in his songs, so making his music accessible to all and drawing others towards his faith, rather than excluding them with Christian jargon.
Combining the bluesiness of Glenn Kaiser, the strings finesse of Phil Keaggy and the accessible faith of both, this re-invents blues to his own style. If you play this for long, it might get you running out to get a bottleneck for your air guitar. (Seven of these – and seven of the best – are also found on the even better compilation Inside Out.) [Derek Walker, The Phantom Tollbooth, 2010]
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/one-way-ticket/1533931681)
CD tracklist:
01. One Way Ticket – 4:04
02. Strange Things Happening Every Day – 3:31
03. Sunflowers – 3:16
04. Let’s Go Out Tonight – 4:22
05. Hard Times – 4:06
06. Nobody’s Fault But Mine – 3:37
07. Up On The Downs – 3:22
08. Inside Out – 3:44
09. God Is My Strength – 4:33
10. Trust In Me – 3:53
11. Best Worst Thing – 3:27
12. Once in Royal David’s City – 4:41
Note: Available at Bandcamp: https://brynhaworth.bandcamp.com/album/one-way-ticket
CREDITS. Produced by Bryn Haworth and Neil Costello. Recorded at ICC Studios in Eastbourne, England (except “Once in Royal David’s City” and “Trust In Me” recorded at Derby Day Studios). Mastered by Denis Blackham, Skye Mastering. Photography by James Osborne, Old Kiln Studios. Artwork by Mark Prentice. All songs written by Bryn Haworth, except trad.-tracks 2, 6, and 12.
Musicians: Bryn Haworth (Lead Vocals, Guitars, Mandolin, Harpolek), Mal Pope (Backing Vocals), Paul Jones (Harmonica), Mark Edwards (Keyboards), Dave Bronze (Bass), Henry Spinetti (Drums), Karlos Edwards (Percussion).
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