Noakes was
among old friends and new on Saturday at Milngavie folk club.
He has many
song gems in his studied repertoire - as well as his own quality songs - some unexpected such as Cliff Richard's
sing along Dynamite; some hoped for with Dylan's Time
Out of Mind outtake track Mississippi; some remembered with his radio hit of the 70s Branch.
He spoke of
Nashville, Lindisfarne, Hank Williams, Joe Strummer, Kathleen McInnes,
Monroeville, Alabama.. when he made the comment - 'Where it is easier to get in
with a rifle than a guitar!' He holds a relaxed friendly banter with his audience.
Noakes gets
to the heart of songs in a real and natural unaffected way. He is a massive
Dylan fan and this came over in his interpretations and mood of the songs. It
was good to hear him sing the Twa
Corbies; his Michael Marra song and his other cover song choices.
Out of Sight, It Happened All The Same, I’m Walkin
Here, Branch, Goodbye Blues, Where Dead Voices Gather, Your Clear White Light,
Standing Up (Blue Nile song), Slipping Away, Roll on Saturday, Highway 61, Hard
Cash The Guernsey Kitchen Porter (Michael Marra song), The Twa Corbies,
Mindful, By the Day, Dynamite (Cliff Richards song) Don’t Say Money Doesn’t
Matter, Mississippi (Bob Dylan song)
I'm a fan
of Rab's older songs …but his new material steps things up several notches and
there are many classics in his newer songs.
His song
evolution is interesting and his song writing has evolved and deepened with
more subtle undertones and story-filled lyrics. From his Americana and rock n'
roll country blues, to his east coast Fife influences - they are all here.
I strongly
recommend the new album for the song quality and the live one take recording
standard. Rab's music challenges in a subtle way and his songs gets under your
skin along with his melodic quality guitar playing and vocal expressions.
Noake's NEW
ALBUM has the title I'm Walkin Here - based on the Dustin Hoffman film
midnight Cowboy when Hoffman says to a taxi driver , I'm Walkin Here' - and has collaborations with Barbara Dickson, Roddy Hart, Jill Jackson,
Jimmie Macgregor, Alice Marra, Emma Pollock, and more. This is a 2 CD - one with new material the
other with older songs. http://rabnoakes.com
Noakes was
ably supported by guitarist and songwriter Rowan
Ross. http://www.rowanross.com/
Noakes is a Scottish singer
songwriter who played with Stealers Wheel with Gerry Rafferty and also with
Lindisfarne.
