Seven years in and Rosalie Cunningham‘s solo career has now outlasted the time she spent with psychedelic rockers Purson, the band which initially brought her to wider public attention. With the English singer/songwriter’s latest long player, she has also matched the number of albums released with said band. To Shoot Another Day has a lot to live up to following on from her 2019 self-titled debut and 2022’s well received Two Piece Puzzle (reviewed here). Once again ably assisted by partner in crime Rosco Wilson this is the first of her albums to be recorded and mixed at her own “Mushy Room” home studio and finds the charismatic frontwoman full of her usual quirky eccentricities.
From the opening chords of its title-track’s twisted Bond theme curves, through to the closing notes of ‘The Premiere’ with its dramatic Latin styling coming courtesy of the marching military beat intro, To Shoot Another Day dances its way through the convoluted corridors of Cunningham’s mind. Bond themes are far from the end of the influences on a release full of nostalgic timestamps as ‘Timothy Martin’s Conditioning School’ mashes The Beatles, ‘Eleanor Rigby’ with ‘Happy Birthday’ and Rosalie’s own ‘Donovan Ellington’ in glorious banzai fashion. The 60’s and 70’s are definitely still a big trademark within Rosalie’s era defying pallet, which is no better demonstrated than on the fuzz bass opening of ‘Heavy Pencil’, sounding like the opening credits of a sitcom from my youth, before crashing out with total sax overload. ‘Good To Be Damned’ is probably as lyrically dark (“mother and father drowning in tears”) as her universe delves, and despite bringing the pace down it still manages to hold a choral swing before the powerful horns of first single ‘In The Shade Of The Shadows’ supply the album’s “Cabaret” moment. ‘The Smut Peddler’ switches focus to act as a contrasting introduction to the piano (by David Woodcock) swoon of ‘Denim Eyes’ with Rosco’s cool guitar solo accompanied by Seamus the dog (Pink Floyd) yapping supplied by Barkly Woodcock ”Riddle me this”. ‘Spook Racket’ travels a long, long way, starting with pumping Hammond and glam handclaps before moving through requiem mass vocal passages to it’s acoustic flamenco conclusion. Unfortunately before you know it ‘Stepped Out Of Time’ and ‘The Premiere’ bring To Shoot Another Day to an all to premature, waltzing and Paso Dobleing close, like the best ever episode of “Strictly Come Dancing” imaginable. The great news is for those that buy the CD version of the album there is still more gems to come with two bonus tracks tagged on (available as a stand alone, limited cream 7” single for the vinyl buffs), the rocking Jethro Tull/Queen tones of ‘Return Of The Ellington’, supplying the concluding chapter of ‘Donovan Ellington’ from Two Piece Puzzle, alongside the trippy, lightly humorous ‘Home’ (“is where I like to be found”) which are both very much welcome additions to this exceedingly fine album. Rosalie Cunningham is undoubtedly a unique individual, influential via her own influences.
Like its predecessor, To Shoot Another Day smacks of a hooky psychedelic/prog rock fusion but this time around taking everything one step beyond. Fans will be pleased to hear that they can now also download Rosalie Cunningham’s Live At Acapela album following its digital debut through bandcamp (CD released December 2023) as well as getting a taster of the new album via the uploading of the ‘In The Shade Of The Shadows’ video released on 27th September. To Shoot Another Day is available on CD, Vinyl as well as on your preferred streaming platform in November, just in time for Rosalie Cunningham to take her madcap sense of event out on the road in the UK from 12th November before she returns to mainland Europe in December. If the show is half as much fun as To Shoot Another Day, it is going to be a blast. Miss her at your peril.
- Reviewed By Peter Brockwell.
- To Shoot Another Day is released via Cherry Red Records/Esoteric Antenna on 1st November 2024.
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Track List:
1. To Shoot Another Day
2. Timothy Martin’s Conditioning School
3. Heavy Pencil
4. Good To Be Damned
5. In The Shade Of The Shadows
6. The Smut Peddler
7. Denim Eyes
8. Spook Racket
9. Stepped Out Of Time
10. The Premiere
Bonus Tracks:
11. Return Of The Ellington
12. Home
