the big field

sad songs

hollow

the wrong side

moors

swell

that face

honey porter

idiot kid

bob's shack

ash

 

Credits

All songs by Jon Goddard

 

 

Jon Goddard

guitars, timple, electric piano, bass and percussion

Rob Spendlove

vocals

Roger Eno

piano and banjo

Patrick Arbuthnot

dobro and lap steel

Pat Whymark

vocals

Bid Cousins

violin

Julian Harries

accordion

David Brown

voice

"I threw a stone at the moon once, it broke a window..."

 

Devoid of cliché, Swell contains all the ingredients of American Country distilled into rural Suffolk, England. Amongst the album's songs are tales of children playing in stubble fields, inevitable and unrequited love, and the vitriolic disbelief of another man's arrogance. The whole project pivots on the beautiful and understated title track Swell.

Jon Goddard says "I am lucky to know and work with some fine musicians who have helped me craft this album. Swell deals with people's hopes and fears and with a sense of landscape. The emphasis was on preparation and atmosphere rather than showmanship."

 

Tony Shevlin East Anglian Daily Times - Saturday August 3rd 2002

 

Jon Goddard writes great songs. Then he records them. Whether it's the country charm of the opener, The Big Field, or the achingly beautiful Sad Songs, the sheer class stands out. Many of the tracks feature as guest vocalist, Rob Spendlove, who has an extraordinary vibrato that would give Scott Walker a run for his money. Despite his years singing in musicals such as Jesus Christ Superstar, Godspell and Cabaret, Spendlove is better known as an actor. With a voice like his, it must have galled him when he was starring in Soldier Soldier to hear the praise heaped on the singing talents of his co-stars Robson and Jerome. Goddard's skills as a guitar player shine through on the instrumental tracks Hollow, Moors, the title track and the steamy swamp of Bob's Shack. Guest musicians all bring something to the party; Roger Eno contributes a delicate piano on Swell, and a drunken banjo on Honey Porter; there's a mournful fiddle from Bid Cousins on That Face; Patrick Arbuthnot provides delicious dobro on The Big Field and luscious lap steel on Idiot Kid. On Ash, Spendlove is joined by Pat Whymark. It perfectly relocates the essence of the real McCoy American country music in rural Suffolk. A splendid Album.

 

Stephen Foster BBC Radio Suffolk & Grapevine - September 2002

 

Life is full of surprises and so too is the new album by Woodbridge-based guitarist JON GODDARD. His accomplished playing has come as no surprise but the wide spectrum of material on his CD Swell most certainly has. The album is released on the Voiceprint label and features the piano playing of Roger Eno. Jon and Roger have been working together for years and are currently in the throes of a joint project. In the meantime we can have a swell old time listening to the latest goody from Mr. Goddard, a man who's also written and performed music for TV, film and theatre. This album began life at the start of the new millennium but thankfully isn't one of the non-events associated with the beginning of the year 2000. Much of Jon's playing wouldn't sound out of place on an album by American guitarist Bill Frisell. Jon also has the good sense to enlist the help of guest vocalists to assist in bringing his moving songs to life. The distinctive rich tones of Rob Spendlove certainly shine on the opening song  The Big Field which gets the CD off to a flying start. Also heard on that track and two others is Pat Whymark, a vastly underrated Suffolk singer who deserves a much higher profile than she has at present. In fact, that could also be said for Jon Goddard. Midway through, the album takes off into different directions. There are echoes of "O Brother Where Art Thou?" on one or two tracks and there's even a touch of blues thrown in for good measure. Jon seems to be at home with any style of music he turns his hand to. He's a multi-instrumentalist with an open mind and appears to have no trouble finding like-minded musicians to work with.  Swell is a delight to listen to from start to finish and captures one of the best guitarists in the region doing what he does best....his own thing.

 

 Francois Couture, All Music Guide

 

An accomplished guitarist, Jon Goddard doesn't rely on fireworks to impress. Instead, he crafts seductive songs drawing on both folk and blues. The music shifts from the rawness of Tom Waits to the more polished (some would say pretentious) aesthetic of English singer/songwriters (John Martyn, Richard Thompson), even extending to a Fairport Convention-type campfire folk song for Ash. Goddard handles most instruments on Swell, including all kinds of acoustic and electric guitars, electric piano, bass, and programmed percussion. Roger Eno appears on piano and banjo, and Patrick Arbuthnot contributes some colorful dobro on The Big Field. The instrumental tunes (five out of 11) tend to be bluesier than the songs, but both categories yield highlights. The strength of the songs resides in Rob Spendlove's vocal delivery, warm and soulful, especially in The Big Field, a very nice pastoral ditty, and Idiot Kid, a Tom Waits pastiche. On first listen, the album sounds somewhat understated, but additional spins reveal a desire to let the writing speak for itself, without flashy solos. It works nicely for a cloudy Sunday afternoon.

 

 

Jon Goddard  Swell (Voiceprint, VP257CD, CD, 2002)

 

Jon Goddard belongs to the old do-it-yourself school of writing and executing his own compositions and then enlisting a small cast of players to complete his vision. Swell is the man's eighth album as he plays nearly everything and in particular is adept as a finger style guitarist as well as on bass and drums. One of his key collaborators is Roger Eno who contributes piano to three pieces (including the somber title track) and banjo on one of the album¹s hillbilly highpoints  Honey Porter. Hollow, a well-crafted ballad and Moors are two of five instrumentals on the disc. These pieces characterize the album with a sense of roots and Americana somewhere between Mark Knopfler's solo albums and Bill Frisell's recent band works. Actor and vocalist Rob Spendlove delivers a plaintive but distinct lead on six of the pieces and notably on the opening cut On the Big Field. He perhaps gives the most distinctive rendering not unlike a less gravelly Tom Waits on Idiot Kid. Bob's Shack is another instrumental that captures the attention as a possible swampy theme for a New Orleans club of ill repute. Closing out the album is Ash a lyrical comparison between a tree and the life of a woman done in a style that would have fit onto the soundtrack for "O Brother Where Art Thou". Overall the album is one of depth and sincerity and may well be the big find talent Rob Ayling has been looking to give higher profile on his UK label.