Reviews

What the critics say about Stamping Ground

'Superb... very rootsy. It's got a great feel.'
(Mike Harding, BBC Radio 2) UK

'... a solid collection of original songs... it's about time he steps up to the spotlight and shows how talented he is in his own right.'
(Dirty Linen) USA

'A great solo release.'
(Chris Darling, WMPG Radio, Portland) USA

'A great disc that gets better with each new listen.'
(George Maida, WCVE Radio, Richmond) USA

'...Clements was arguably the most accomplished musician in the group (Lindisfarne), as well as being no mean songwriter... a very worthwhile album ... recommended.'
(Record Buyer) UK

'... well worth the wait... strongly written ... well performed. No doubt about it: Clements is tall in the saddle again.'
(Revolution) UK

'The writing is uniformly strong and many songs are real standouts... the musicianship throughout the album is of an extremely high standard. A quality album indeed, no mistake.'
(Traditional Music Maker) UK

'Stamping Ground is an old school album that says it all in 40 minutes. Stellar support is provided throughout... but it's Clements who remains firmly centre-stage.'
(Folk On Tap) UK

'... well worth the wait. This is a superb album... I recommend it to all music lovers.'
(Exclaim!) Canada

'... a merry assortment of songs ... the album moves from strength to strength... If you are ever in Warrington, Cheshire, England, you may want to stamp by the studios and say hello. And thanks.'
(Scene) Canada

Rod Clements
Stamping Ground
Market Square 107

On this solo debut, Lindisfarne founding-member Rod Clements (vocals, guitars, Dobro) presents a set of honest blues inflected pop/folk songs - think John Sebastian meets Ry Cooder meets Richard Thompson.

Stamping Ground contains acoustic and full band tracks. Both are equally effective. Of the acoustic numbers, Old Blue Goose, is a clever piece about an old juke joint living again on the internet. Starts off sad but has a happy ending and was simply done with just voice and Dobro for a lazy jug bandish-feel. Charity Main offers a glimpse of the hard life in a northern English coal mining town. Clements sings this in appropriately weathered tones backed only by Dobro, acoustic guitar, and autoharp. Charity Main can be thought of as an English equivalent to one of Woody Guthrie 's 'Dust Bowl Ballads'.

But it's a different mood on the full band numbers. Clements reveals a sardonic sense of humor on the up-tempo rocker Whole Lifestyle Thing whose philosophy can be summed up as take pride in your life no matter how crazy or silly it may seem to others. Black Rain is a full out electric blues shout about what's gone wrong with the world.

One More Night With You tells the tale of a lad who must leave his lover to honor military obligations. A sad and old story, but the song has a catchy melody and one of those unforgettable choruses that just stays in your mind. Reminded me a bit of Lindisfarne classics like Meet Me On The Corner and Lady Eleanor. - KR

Sing Out! Vol. 45 #3 Fall 2001

Rod Clements
Stamping Ground
Market Square. 12 tracks. 42.21 mins.

Rod Clements is best known as a member of Lindisfarne, who played their final concert in November 2003. His first solo project One Track Mind saw him performing original material along with songs written by the likes of Woody Guthrie & Leadbelly.

The follow-up Stamping Ground is entirely self-penned (or co-written) & Rod is continuing to promote it with regular live solo dates. He is an accomplished multi-instrumentalist & his influences include blues, country & rock'n'roll. The album begins with the laidback mellow vibe of the title track on which Rod plays dobro & sings in a hushed & relaxed tone. Whisky Highway starts in a similar vein with just vocal & acoustic guitar, but grows into a blistering tour de force rocker when the electric guitars (Rod, Dave Hull-Denholm & Nigel Stonier) kick in, backed by a solid rhythm section. This track really packs a punch as does the rollicking Whole Lifestyle Thing, a real feature of which is Rod's exuberant electric slide guitar playing. He picks the dobro back up for the slow blues groove of Blue Interior which is perfectly suited to his voice (imagine a slower Honky Tonk Women with a deeper vocal). Hattie McDaniel At The Oscars 1939 features Rod unaccompanied & therefore gives a good indication of what to expect from his live shows. There's an impressive coupling in the middle of the album; the haunting & evocative acoustic number Charity Main & the equally atmospheric Roads Of East Northumberland, which features Kathryn Tickell on Northumbrian pipes. Ian Thomson's bass is high in the mix & drives along the funky blues of Black Rain, which has Rod on electric guitar, harmonica from Fraser Spiers (whose contribution throughout the album impresses greatly), the Hammond organ of Steve Millington & Paul Burgess on drums. Rod is accompanied on vocals in an effective way by Thea Gilmore, who also duets on the gentle ballad We Have To Talk. Black Rain is a real group effort, as is the melodic One More Night With You which has a Bob Dylan feel & is notable for an assured vocal & more lovely dobro from Rod, some great vocal harmonies, Nigel on harmonium, & some inventive acoustic picking & strumming by Rod & Dave. The acoustic Cowboy In The Rain was written about Gene Clark of The Byrds (Gene supported Lindisfarne on tour in the '80s, hence the lyric 'opening for a strange talking band'!), so it's quite apt that noted Byrds freak Sid Griffin (Long Ryders / Coal Porters) appears on autoharp & shaker. The bluesy closer Old Blue Goose celebrates the life & times of Oscar Woods & contains more terrific slide.

To sum up, Stamping Ground is varied in style, perfectly sequenced, & a fine effort well worthy of investigation. Jim Henderson, Autumn 2004

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