Campbell, Neil & Nicole Collarbone: Berlin Suite & Other Short Stories

Guitarist Neil Campbell is seldom idle, the discography on his website showing that this latest offering is his 20th release since Night Sketches came out in 2004 - and another two are already scheduled to appear later in 2022. For Berlin Suite & Other Short Stories, the acoustic guitarist has teamed up with cellist Nicole Collarbone for a short 5 track EP that centres round the opening “Berlin Suite�. This really is a quite beautiful piece, Jon Lawton’s percussion-programming adding textures to the rather wonderful conversation between guitar and cello. Moving between a variety of little sections where the mood and pace evolve, the results are as engaging as they are captivating. Campbell and Collarbone combine perfectly, complimenting each other from start to finish, and at just over 10 minutes long, this near title track is just under half the length of this entire release, but not one second is wasted.

The four remaining pieces could easily be seen as simply making up the numbers, with all bar one falling below the three minute mark, but thankfully it’s simply not the case. “Ode To A Penguin� more mournful than its name suggests as it sways and sighs, while “In The Moment�, which eschews the cello, offers a reflective tone. As you’d expect, “Hoobie Tango� introduces a latin scent as the cello dances dramatically to the time-keeping guitars, whereas the again guitar only, “Yachts, 1959� brings proceedings to a sedate but beguiling close.

Berlin Suite & Other Short Stories is a wonderful experience from start to finish, with its title track growing into something truly special. As an overall release this EP is maybe over just a little too quickly, but only because it has become one of my favourite outings from the ever reliable Campbell (and Collarbone) camp.

Track Listing
1. Berlin Suite
2. Ode To A Penguin
3. In The Moment
4. Hoobie Tango
5. Yachts, 1959

Added: October 12th 2022
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Neil Campbell @ bandcamp
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Language: english

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