“Having
released an exciting new
single, Barefoot In The Car Park,
earlier in 2014, UK-based Groovy Uncle
is attracting attention from as far
away as Australia and looks set to
make waves with terrific follow-up
album Persuaded...”
BACK IN JANUARY, 2014, Groovy Uncle began work on a fourth album to add to
an output of intriguing music — Persuaded, which was released
late last year (2014) with great expectations.
With the intention of creating a special, original album with a "cinematic feel",
songwriter Glenn Prangnell has put together a good mix of tracks and had already
lined up a talented female vocalist, Suzi Chunk, as lead vocalist.
“Groovy Uncle —
Fifty shades of cool”
However,
Suzi knows her stuff and had already collaborated vocally on the single Barefoot
In The Car Park, but could not quite see that distinctive voice of hers
belting out all the songs that Glenn gave her for consideration. She felt that
a couple were not quite right for her style and therefore Glenn was left with
a dilemma. He needed another gifted female vocalist who understood Groovy Uncle's
ethos.
Followers of Groovy Uncle will recall a rare live appearance at The Fiddler's
Elbow in Camden where Modus was headlining. Sarah Kennedy, aka Miss Modus, was
providing female vocals for the Scottish band and Glenn had noted her as being
"both vocally and visually striking". Luckily, Miss Modus agreed to help and
Persuaded was underway.
The finished album is terrific. From the exciting and compulsive single Barefoot
In The Car Park, with those delightful vocals courtesy of Suzi Chunk, to
the title track, the album glows with Sixties-inspired gems with a good measure
of originality and, as Glenn admits "a nod to John Barry". Indeed, some of these
tracks do sound as if they could easily double as soundtracks.
The vocal version of Persuaded is wonderfully dramatic; an absolutely
superbly-defined track with Miss Modus in grand vocal form. The lyric-driven
Wet Weekend is slow and sure; You Look Good To Me is also great and
could have been taken straight from a stage musical; and Your Weight In Gold
also deliciously dramatic and theatrical.
No Idea (written by Glenn with Roan Kearsey-Lawson) is a melodic, ballad-like
offering and High Time is a great track along with the more unusual What's
Going On and a favourite, Pocket Of Concern. Should Have Been
Mine is a really interesting track with fine lyrics and benefits from some
serious harmonica playing from Jim Riley.
As a whole, the album is well thought out with a good mix of tracks. Performing
with two talented female singers whose voices are well matched to the songs
and with tracks that are uplifting and compulsive, Groovy Uncle moves to another
level.
It comes as no surprise to hear that Groovy Uncle enjoyed the time in the studio.
"Perusaded was great fun to make and it is an album of which I am very
proud," says Glenn Prangnell. Glenn, you're a marvel. Fifty shades of cool…
• Recorded at Ranscombe Studios, Rochester,
Kent, Groovy Uncle's album Persuaded is released through own label Trouserphonic
on vinyls, CD and Download on 6 October 2014.
Tracklisting
Side One: 1 Persuaded (Instrumental) | 2 Barefoot In The Car
Park (Suzi Chunk, vocals) | 3 Should Have Been Mine (with Jim Riley
on harmonica) | 4 Your Weight In Gold (Miss Modus, vocals) | 5 No
Idea | 6 I Won't Be Fooled By You (Miss Modus, vocals).
Side Two: 7 High Time (Suzi Chunk, vocals) | 8 Wet Weekend
| 9 Pocket Of Concern | 10 What's Going On (Miss Modus duets
with Glenn Prangnell) | 11 You Look Good To Me | 12 Persuaded.
"Groovy Uncle… Fifty shades of cool!" — Maggie Woods, MotorBar
"Beautifully realised and played… a remarkable album" — Shindig!
Barefoot In The Car Park (Single)
"…exciting and compulsive" — Maggie Woods, MotorBar
"That has to be the analogue Record Of The Year!" — Stevie Van Zandt
"Single of the year? Without any doubt" — Malcolm Carter, Pennyblack
Music
"Showing all the pretenders how it should be done" — Sound Of Confusion
"Giving the Daptone label a run for their money. Essential" — Shindig!
“Having
released an exciting new