Here's To The Good Life

by Ashley Reaks

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1.	Hate Me (And I'll Hate You) 04:07	buy track
2.	Brother Joe 05:14	buy track
3.	Ghost Town In My Heart 04:34	buy track
4.	In The Rubbish Bin 02:23	buy track
5.	Monster Of Suburbia 04:09	buy track
6.	Serena 04:58	buy track
7.	Here's To The Good Life 03:30	buy track
8.	Elizabeth's Loneliness 04:30	buy track
9.	She Left Me For Dead 03:33	buy track
10.	Every Day Is A New Beginning 10:02	buy track

about

REVIEWS

SOUND ON SOUND
With such leftfield presentation, it's a surprise to find that Reaks has left obvious punk influences behind for slick AOR on this record. He and his band have the assured smoothness of seasoned musicians, with some very nice brass arrangements topping things off nicely. Yet Chris Rea this is not: Reaks' subversive lyrics carry more barbs than a well‑equipped fishing party, and his arrangements occasionally jolt the listener with unexpected deviations into ska or music‑hall — the skiffle‑tinted title track is a particular highlight. Excellent.

PLAY MUSIC
Studded with references to psychopaths and domestic violence, this is pretty bleak stuff, laid out over a disarmingly eclectic pop backdrop.'Ghost Town In My Heart' for example, sounds like The Specials reciting T.S Elliot's 'The Wasteland' over a backing track of Sade's 'Smooth Operator'. Weird. There is an obvious intelligence behind these tracks and the result is a compelling, if occasionally uncomfortable experience.

credits

released April 5, 2010

Ashley Reaks - Vocals, bass, guitars, keyboards
Frank Mizen - Guitars, pedal steel, banjo, ukulele, keyboards, vocals
Rob Bentley - Acoustic guitar, harmonica, vocals
Simon Cooper, Drums, percussion
Maria Jardardottir - Vocals
Lucy Mizen - Vocals
Dave Kemp - Saxophone, accordion
Wayne Robinson - Saxophone
Dan Webster - Trumpet

Recorded and mixed by Dan Mizen at Active Audio Studios, Harrogate
All songs written by Ashley Reaks
Artwork by Ashley Reaks

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about

Ashley Reaks Harrogate, UK

Genre-hopping musician and collage artist.

"an incomparable talent and a true original, a man who often borders on genius" - Louder Than War (UK)

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