Barafundle

• Artist: Gorky's Zygotic Mynci
• Rating:
• Release Date: April 07, 1997
• Total Time: 49:20
• Genre: Rock

Review

Recorded with the help of Welsh production guru Gorwel Owen and featuring past guests Simon James and Martin Smith from the Wizards of Twiddly throughout on various brass and wind instruments, Barafundle found Gorky's merrily coming to grips with major-label status without a worry. If anything, Barafundle did showcase where the band would go in future years, toning down the crazier side of the group in favor of a calmer, more quietly inventive approach, though not without some high-volume parts. John Lawrence still keeps the fractured side of things going, though it's no surprise he would leave after a couple more albums, taking the more overtly "mushroom" qualities with him -- he still gets in some fun zingers here, though, including the nutty "The Wizard and the Lizard." Otherwise, though, this is an album soundtracking rural Welsh summers that may only exist in myth, but still work well for that. The two singles from the album are both great -- "Diamond Dew," a folk/psych trip with a nicely rocking chorus, and "Patio Song," a winning stroll through winsome romance spiked with just the right odd bits ("isn't it a lovely day?/my patio's on fire"). The album as a whole merrily moves along, bringing in a bit of drama here and there ("The Barafundle Bumbler" and its just-edgy-enough verses, the full on electric crunch of "Meirion Wyltt") but otherwise things are sweetly sedate, as with the instrumental "Cursed, Coined and Crucified." Childs' singing is as wonderful as always -- the man was just born to sing in that gentle, honeyed fashion -- while Lawrence's no less fine vocals add just the right glaze to songs like the suddenly medieval "Starmoonsun" and "Sometimes the Father is the Son." U.S. versions added the later single "Young Girls and Happy Endings" as a bonus. ~ Ned Raggett, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Diamond Dew	Megan Childs, Richard James	Gorky's Zygotic Mynci	(2:50)
The Barafundle Bumbler	Megan Childs	Gorky's Zygotic Mynci	(1:50)
Starmoonsun	John Lawrence	Gorky's Zygotic Mynci	(3:03)
Patio Song	Megan Childs	Gorky's Zygotic Mynci	(2:42)
Better Rooms...	Megan Childs	Gorky's Zygotic Mynci	(3:46)
Heywood Lane	John Lawrence, Megan Childs	Gorky's Zygotic Mynci	(2:52)
Pen Gwag Glas	Megan Childs	Gorky's Zygotic Mynci	(3:58)
Bola Bola	Megan Childs	Gorky's Zygotic Mynci	(1:45)
Cursed, Coined & Crucified	John Lawrence	Gorky's Zygotic Mynci	(2:26)
Sometimes the Father Is the Son	Richard James	Gorky's Zygotic Mynci	(3:16)
Meirion Wyllt	Megan Childs	Gorky's Zygotic Mynci	(2:48)
Wizard & The Lizard	John Lawrence, Megan Childs	Gorky's Zygotic Mynci	(1:27)
Miniature Kingdoms	John Lawrence, Megan Childs	Gorky's Zygotic Mynci	(4:18)
Dark Night	Megan Childs	Gorky's Zygotic Mynci	(4:47)
Hwyl Fawr I Pawb	Megan Childs	Gorky's Zygotic Mynci	(1:47)
Wordless Song	Megan Childs	Gorky's Zygotic Mynci	(3:20)
Young Girls & Happy Endings [*]	Megan Childs	Gorky's Zygotic Mynci	(2:25)

Credits

Simon James (Flute), Simon James (Sax (Tenor)), Simon James (Brass), Rick McCollum (Art Direction), Martin Smith (Trumpet), Martin Smith (Horn), Martin Smith (Brass), John Lawrence (Bass), John Lawrence (Guitar), John Lawrence (Piano), John Lawrence (Guitar (Electric)), John Lawrence (Guitar (Steel)), John Lawrence (Jew's-Harp), John Lawrence (Organ (Hammond)), John Lawrence (Recorder), John Lawrence (Vocals), John Lawrence (Vocals (Background)), John Lawrence (Voices), John Lawrence (Multi Instruments), John Lawrence (Handclapping), John Lawrence (Chant), John Lawrence (Bodhran), John Lawrence (Spanish Guitar), John Lawrence (E-Bow), John Lawrence (Wurlitzer), John Lawrence (Vox Organ), Gorky's Zygotic Mynci (Main Performer), Stuart Evans (Flute), Stuart Evans (Shawm), Richard Lewis (Photography), Kevin Metcalfe (Mastering), Andrew Frizell (Flute), Andrew Frizell (Trombone), Andrew Frizell (Brass), Gorwel Owen (Piano), Gorwel Owen (Harmonium), Gorwel Owen (Organ (Hammond)), Gorwel Owen (Moog Synthesizer), Gorwel Owen (Multi Instruments), Gorwel Owen (Producer), Gorwel Owen (Engineer), Gorwel Owen (Farfisa Organ), Gorwel Owen (Mixing), Gorwel Owen (Vox Organ), Pat Pope (Photography), Merton Gauster (Photography), Donald Christie (Photography), Euros Childs (Synthesizer), Euros Childs (Piano), Euros Childs (Harmonium), Euros Childs (Keyboards), Euros Childs (Organ (Hammond)), Euros Childs (Vocals), Euros Childs (Vocals (Background)), Euros Childs (Voices), Euros Childs (Moog Synthesizer), Euros Childs (Multi Instruments), Euros Childs (Narrator), Euros Childs (Handclapping), Euros Childs (Noise), Euros Childs (Mellotron), Euros Childs (Farfisa Organ), Euros Childs (Spanish Guitar), Euros Childs (Wurlitzer), Euros Childs (Vox Organ), Megan Childs (Piano), Megan Childs (Violin), Megan Childs (Organ (Hammond)), Megan Childs (Vocals), Megan Childs (Vocals (Background)), Megan Childs (Multi Instruments), Megan Childs (Handclapping), Richard James (Bass), Richard James (Piano), Richard James (Guitar (Bass)), Richard James (Guitar (Steel)), Richard James (Keyboards), Richard James (Organ (Hammond)), Richard James (Vocals (Background)), Richard James (Multi Instruments), Richard James (Handclapping), Richard James (Spanish Guitar), Richard James (Piano Strings), Dave Buchanan (Assistant Engineer)

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