The Life and Death of A.J Rail [reissue], by Half Deaf Clatch

The Life and Death of A.J Rail [reissue]

by Half Deaf Clatch

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Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album
Reissued CD in card wallet with A5 insert card and A3 poster featuring brand new artwork. This critically acclaimed album was originally released in October 2015. The original CD version sold out a long time ago, but seeing I'm constantly asked if I plan to reissue it I've decided to put together this newly repackaged version.

Includes unlimited streaming of The Life and Death of A.J Rail [reissue] via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

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Streaming + Download

Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

Purchasable with gift card

£5 GBP or more

1.	Old Time Soul 02:17	buy track
2.	Boxcar Bulldogs 04:18	buy track
3.	1927 Flood 04:55	buy track
4.	Boneyard Bound 05:48	buy track
5.	Long Gone Friends 03:16	buy track
6.	Revelation Road 04:19	buy track
7.	Make Your Own Way 04:31	buy track
8.	1930 Drought 04:05	buy track
9.	No Hallelujahs 03:01	buy track
10.	The Ballad of A.J Rail 05:02	buy track
11.	Singing With Old Scratch 03:40	buy track
12.	The End 02:10	buy track

about

'The Life and Death of A.J Rail' was nominated into the finals in the 2016 British Blues Awards for 'Blues Album of the Year'.

credits

released November 25, 2019

Review from Blues Magazine, Netherlands by Iain Patience in 2015...

"First thing to say about this release is it’s a truly remarkable overall package, full to bursting with spare, slippery acoustic fretwork on both guitar and banjo. The dozen tracks are all self-written with an evident understanding of the old-time, blues tradition and a touch of modernity that never swamps the originality.

Back in the day, of course, banjo was often the only instrument of choice available to share-cropping, blistered and bruised old bluesmen in the Deep South. Nowadays it tends to be overplayed, full of sparkling notes without a heartbeat or, seemingly on occasion, any real subtlety, feeling or passion. Clatch to his credit avoids this perilous pitfall with a notably spare, deceptively basic picking style reminiscent of the old claw-hammer pioneers from the turn of the twentieth century. The result is an album that has an unusually effective added ingredient mostly lacking in blues releases these days.
The songs themselves chart the story of a life lived with more than a touch of sin and scandal, debauchery, and defiance of the only certainty in life – old man Death itself. If anything, this really is the Devil’s Music, writ large. The Grim Reaper seems to be more than welcome here.

In addition, Clatch is always sure-footed with his fretwork and slide mastery. Pace and tempo both vary alongside lyrics that grab the attention to produce a near-effortless triumph. In many ways, ‘The Life & Death of AJ Rail’ could well prove to be the most original blues release of the year."

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about

Speak Up Recordings UK

Independent label for the recording projects of Andrew McLatchie (aka Half Deaf Clatch). Slightly strange musicianer. Eleven Time British Blues Award Finalist 2013 - 2016
Six Time UK Blues Award Finalist 2018 - 2022

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