Stick in the Wheel’s latest album `A Thousand Pokes` is named after the 14th Century story of Tittivilus, the recording demon, who collects scribes’ mistakes (pokes) and the idle chatter of the “liars with their hairy tongues” congregation. A satirical celebration of mistakes. A joyous lambasting of everyone and everything that’s wrong in the world, against the real-time backdrop of global uncertainty, corruption, and political unrest from the duo of Nicola Kearey and Ian Carter.
`Crystal Tears` leads us into this album and it`s like an awakening of sorts with synthesised vocals shared through what sounds like a vocoder which gives it a delightfully edgy and ethereal texture. We enjoy a more forceful almost combatant offering in the nigh on spoken word `Back Of The Hatch`.
Title track `A Thousand Pokes` has an almost hypnotic rhythmic guitar and drum beat undertone allowing Nicola`s East London part spoken part sung vocals to entrance us with her words of wisdom. The psyche-folk `Burnt Walk` has a kind of melancholic lyrical charm about it.
We have a ballad like appeal with the stripped back `Lavender` which in ancient times, was believed to protect against evil spirits and negative energies. A symbol of purity, love, and devotion. The chant like `The Cramp` with its rapidly shared lyrical content seems to hint at unpleasant Lenten sustenance.
`Cracks` is a tale of woe regarding an unfortunate being cheated, swindled, and defrauded of their worldly goods. There`s a darkly amusing narrative about the aftermath of a fatal car crash with the rhythmic foot tapping `Can`t Stop`.
`What Can The Matter Be` has a kind of flamenco-tinged nursey rhyme like sense and may well be inspired by the traditional nursey rhyme `Johnny’s So Long at the Fair` that can be traced back to the 1770`s. The ballad like `Watercress-o` also has similarities to the song `Cockles and Mussels` whereas the trade plied here is watercress, a symbol of health, vitality, and rejuvenation.
`Brisk Lad` appears to convey a tale of a lively soul living on the edge of criminality and intent on improving their lowly circumstances. In `Hush` the number takes part of the lullaby `Hush a bye baby on the treetop` and adds new couplets to it.
The album closes out with the psyche-folk `Steals The Thief` which I found wonderfully mesmerising and drew me into its enticing dark layers.
`A Thousand Pokes` was a joy to behold. The songs have a off kilter melodic charm about them with lyrics that are at times ironic but also humorous. A delightfully rewarding and entertaining listen.
Rating 9/10
