O3 (2008)
11 tracks, 36 minutes
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I’ve written about unstoppable harmonica-wielder Son of Dave before, when I talked about his second album, O2. His third album is, yes, O3, and it provides an interesting flip-side to the previous one. O2 was a raw, almost completely solo affair, and the sounds of his loop-pedal-enhanced harp-beatbox-rattle-voice combo are exactly what you’d hear at a Son of Dave live show; on O3, he breaks open the instruments cupboard, invites some friends over and has a proper party.
On this album, that core sound is joined by guitars, piano, organ, drums, backing vocals and many more production elements, and the music itself shows a bit of a move away from blues and more of an integration of hip-hop, R’n’B and soul. But for all these additions and changes of tack, there’s absolutely no mistaking the energy, eccentricity and electricity of Son of Dave. Because all the tracks are still based on the one-man-band set up, they all still have that live feel, and it all rollicks along with the same sense of anarchic musical adventure.
This album and its predecessor are the only ones in Mr of Dave’s discography to follow such a naming pattern, and I think the pairing of the two is really obvious. His other, later albums develop onwards in different and interesting directions, but these two really feel like two halves of the same extended record in terms of atmosphere and inspiration. Basically, if you checked out O2 last time I wrote about it, get stuck in to this one – you’ll love it just as much.
P.S. I notice none of you heeded my advice to buy Son of Dave’s book, We Need You Lazzaro, You Lazy, Greasy Bastard. Come on you wimps. It’s less than a fiver and it’s brilliant, just get it and enjoy it in all its bizarreness.
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