Search - John Betjeman :: Sir Betjemans Banana Blush

The Poet Laureate with backing band ? are you serious?

C. G. Stevenson | UK | 02/17/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Endearing ? Nostalgic ? Poor words to describe the experience of listening to this collection. Poet Laureate Sir John Betjeman reads his quintessentially English poetry to musical accompaniment.The words themselves invoke strong mental images of an England that is long forgotten, if it ever really existed, often the cosy view of middle class southern suburban England , summer days of tea on the lawn, sometimes the loneliness of respectable ladies living in London.The musical accompaniment is as varied as the poetry subject matter, and (nearly) always adds an extra dimension to the piece.Ranging from the racy, 1920's pastiche on "Agricultural Caress" with its suggestive subject matter of smouldering passion in the Young Farmer's community to the Music Hall tradition of "Cockney Amorist" and the evocative sadness of "Business Girls", Jim Parker's musical interpretation successfully catches the mood of each poem.Sir John's vocal talent is never better matched than to the nostalgic chidhood reminiscence of "Indoor Games near Newbury", or the gentle old man's reflections on the beauty of youth and nature as a young girl punts past the ailing Betjeman in "Youth and Age on Beaulieu River"Even if it is not all to your taste, there are such excellent individual performances in here that it is worth buying the CD just for those few."