A side project of wistful rootsy pop.
Joe Atkinson would pull out an impressive resume if he had to go looking for a new band. Pianist for Glastonbury popsters Flipron, he also manages to find the time to play with Neville Staple. His musical skills are in demand when other iconic artists are looking to put together their tour band. Basically Atkinson is the Rhynes as ‘Everything The Wrong Way Round’ is written and sung by him. As you would expect, all the keyboard work on this album is great. The man also plays everything else apart from the kitchen sink and the drums. Matty Bane from the Neville Staple Band handles the latter more than ably.
Tiny Dog’s press release draws a comparison to Teenage Fanclub. “Everything… features 10 songs about love, life and nostalgia with chiming guitars, pianos, Hammond and rich vocal harmonies” There’s definitely a sentimental nod to the music of the early nineties. A mixture of Tim Burgess and Steven Duffy. ‘I Can’t Hear You’ is a sharp opener with jangly guitars and mellow harmonies that succinctly sets out the album’s overall sound and bittersweet lyrics. A modest video that goes along with this track has Atkinson playing and singing with his shadows on drums and bass. It deserves more views. Catchy tracks include ‘Turning Around’ and ‘Jennifer and Anyways’, the latter having some interesting references to The Jericho pub and music venue in Oxford and the band The Brilliant Corners. Both have an essence of Joe Jackson in the mix. This enjoyable frolic heads towards the outstanding last track, ‘Don’t Make it Right’ which finally touches down on familiar shores. Boozy piano and Hammond along with a touch of harmonica get everything the right way round. And who doesn’t want to sing along to… “I can’t believe the shite that people say/I close my eyes but it won’t go away”
