Jo Hook & Geoffrey Richardson
Album: Silence Surrounds Me
Label: Self Published
Tracks: 12
Website: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hook/162793071246?sk=app_2405167945

I first became aware of Geoffrey Richardson back in 1974 when Alan Freeman played the track "For Richard" from the prog rock band Caravan's live album Caravan and the New Symphonia. Since then he has appeared on over a hundred albums, supporting artists as varied as Linda McCartney, Murray head, Chris de Burgh, Milla Jovovich, Justin Hayward, Nick Heyward and the Buzzcocks. Must confess though that I've never heard of Jo Hook before.

This is Jo's third album, with almost a decade between the release of her second album and this. In 2005, after the release of "Inside Out" she became seriously ill with kidney failure, requiring a transplant. She started writing again whilst recovering, but was then struck with yet another illness and became paralysed. Having recovered she teamed up with fellow Canterbury based multi-instrumentalist Geoffrey.

Amongst other things, he plays violin, viola, cello, various guitars, flute, penny whistle, clarinet and keyboards. Jo plays, guitar, and piano and provides most of the vocals. They are joined by Richard Bates on bass, and Paul Townsend on percussion. Together, they have made a rather beautiful album.

Jo, who wrote all of the songs on "Silence Surrounds Me", has a wonderful cracked voice, somewhere between Alanis Morissette and Cerys Matthews. Despite all that has happened to her, the songs all feel optimistic and happy, but her fractured voice gives the songs depth and hints at darker emotions. The album title comes from a lyric in the second track, "Living Is Easy". Being surrounded by silence isn't threatening, uncomfortable or lonely if you are with someone you love.

Oddest track on the album is "Arial 10". Yes, a printing font. She sings "Don't call me Arial 10", I presume, because Arial 10 is a common font, and she doesn't want to be considered ordinary. When I first heard this track, I don't like it. She repeats "Whoah Oh, Babababababa, Whoah Oh" over and over again, and I thought it quite irritating. On a second listen though, it somehow seemed to infect me, and now I can't get it out of my head.

The folk anthem "Smile" is, again, quite repetitive lyrically, but not in a disadvantageous way. She uses her voice as an instrument and lays down a vocal riff, over which Geoffrey can weave his magic.

My favourite track on the album would be a toss up between "Like What You Like": a duet with Geoffrey, and "Inside Out", which features some exquisite piano and cello.

Pete Bradley