Tall Stories & New religions is Pete Astor re-imagining his greatest misses from his now 40-year career, re-recording songs that he originally wrote and performed with The Loft, The Weather Prophets, The Wisdom Of Harry or solo. The album has been recorded with a top-notch group of musos including Ian Button, Wilson Neil Scott, Andy Lewis and Sean Read.
The album opens with Model Village a dark tale of what ought to be a Model Village, as no one dies, no one has any trouble, as the minimal piano and acoustic guitar backing accentuates this tale nicely.
Ladies And Gentleman is a careworn tale of someone who is tired of just about everything, who doesn't want to be on the Chicken in a basket circuit anymore, as if Pete was ever on that circuit, this has some of Ian Buttons most restrained drumming.
Chinese Cadillac has a gently fractious guitar part that fizzes and crackles over the steady bassline, as another literate tale unfolds.
The Emperor, The Dealer And The Birthday Boy is slow reflective and all the better for the sombre way the lyrics are delivered, as the dangers of the drugs and how life could go are examined, over sparse acoustic guitar, ramming home how much care you should take to not believe everything your told.
She Comes From The Rain has a spry spring like feel to it, it's also the first song that I really recognise, but not in this slow downbeat version, this adds layers of meaning and pain to the original Weather Prophets version.
Nancy True Knot has some wonderfully sparse percussion as well as minimal Glockenspiel to accompany this rather affected tale.
Ceasar Boots are what Pete dreams of buying as a kid, he's throwing tantrums to get them, as the Spanish style guitar helps to make clear how his life isn't complete without a pair of Ceasar Boots.
Head Over Heels has Pete tongue tied, yet babbling away, all of the different ways you make him feel so in love with you, as the delightful piano line draws you in as the guitars chime with his feelings pouring out.
Marsh Blues has a deep bayou feel with the guitar notes being so carefully plucked as Pete implores you to tell him.
Emblem is about the feelings you have when you've been stood up again, slowly asking questions, knowing things will never really change on this slow reflective song.
Disney Queen could be about any number of Disney poppets, but I like to picture Pete singing this to Christina Aguilera and seeing her mystified look that this could be in praise of her youthful work, the way he asks her for her help and will she give in, we can only hope so.
The Album closes with On Top Of The Driver has plangent guitars celebrating construction workers rather than someone sitting at the front on a double decker bus.
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