In a way, the general public should count themselves lucky in that they are spared press releases. The first thing that fell out of the jiffy bag was not Uncle Wally and Uncle Steve’s “Song From A Shed” album but a picture of said “uncles” enjoying a nice mug of tea. It wasn’t exactly a rock ‘n’ roll moment.
That said, “Songs From A Shed” is an honest album in that it does sound like it was recorded in a shed. I’d normally let that matter pass as lo-fi seems (incomprehensibly) fashionable these days but Uncle Wally and Uncle Steve apparently teach music production at a University. Makes you wonder about the value of a degree, doesn’t it?
The two uncles do rather better when it comes to song writing. Given their advanced years, they can draw on a good few decades of stylistic influences with the country flavoured songs like “When I See Her” proving the most endearing in that good natured pub singer on the rampage kind of way. That is the best thing about this album, by the way. A lot of the albums that I hear these days suffer from both self obsession and self indulgence but “Songs From A Shed” genuinely sets out to entertain.
So while the more looped up in plastic electronic moments will not hold your attention for long, those rather sentimental slices of neo country make up for that shortcoming. You just can’t help but smile when you hear “Take Me Dancing”, for example.
The album is available from Bandcamp should you feel the urge to investigate it.