 | The Magic Shoemaker (1970)Genres: rock |
review by thomas
Fire have many things in common with the types of Wind, one thing they share is a bad singer. “The Magic Shoemaker” is a concept album about this shoemaker that for some reason makes a pair of magic shoes (to stop a war between two neighbouring kings or something like that) that allows the owner to fly like a bird. Between songs there are narrative parts in form of a man who tells the story to some children, thus enriching the story. But the lyrics and the general story are rather lame, not lame like Surprise’s “Assault on Merryland” story, but not far away.
Fire were a trio with, among others, future Strawbs member David Lambert, who are responsible for both music and lyrics. The music is rock based in the sixties with Beatles, Kinks, Yardbirds and Small Faces influences but not anyway near the good things those groups created. Being a concept album the songs float together by way of the narration and in one way creates one long piece. There are some moments that are enjoyable but mostly it’s just poorer versions of the bands mentioned above. One refreshing thing is a solo by Lambert on acoustic guitar where he is able to make it sound like he’s playing the lyre.
