Tom Yates
Album: Second City Spiritual
Label: Epona
Tracks: 11
Website: http://www.eponarecords.com

The final pieces in the Tom Yates jigsaw emerge belatedly with the timely reissue by Epona of "Thomas" Yates' debut LP, recorded for and released on CBS in 1967 - complete with archetypal psychedelic cover artwork that, while of its time, with hindsight didn't really reflect the sparsely bedecked music within. Much of the record consisted of just Tom and his gentle, efficiently fingerpicked guitar, delivering honest observational vignettes characteristic of a young man to whom "London happened … in the first month of the second lifetime". More from the perspective of the street than the bedsit, sure, but highly evocative nevertheless.

Even then, Tom had a fairly distinctive singing voice (retrospectively, reminding me a touch of both Bernie Parry and Roy Harper), although it veered toward the shouty at times (Flower Sermon and Nearly Saint Marie), but his lyrics were always persuasive in the nicest possible way, demonstrative or reflective as befitted the sentiment or opinion being conveyed. I'm surprised that songs such as Morning Song, Sandpiper and the Donovan-esque Carry Me Down, Gypsy Girl haven't since received wider currency, but I'd guess that because this album's never been reissued on CD before now (I'd certainly never heard it before now).

However, Bide Awhile has found a place in the latter-day folk club scene due to the advocacy of Bram Taylor in the late 80s and its ready adoption since as a comforting, mildly anthemic singaround staple. That song brings to an appropriate conclusion what in the end is a satisfying "album of its time" that successfully for the most part sidesteps the songwriting clichés of its time; only The Forever Tree and China Clay seem a little mannered in that respect.

Tom's personal presence is appealing, and limited instrumental contributions from Davy Morgan (mandolin, lute or second guitar) or Guy Humphries (flute) provide attractive but undistracting embellishments on a small handful of tracks. John Constantine's expert digital mastering of the original vinyl has given us an admirably clear and undistorted transfer (although there are occasional, unavoidable clicks and crackles here and there), so it's great to have this record available again thanks to the enterprise of Mike Billington at Epona Records.

David Kidman