The Cairo Gang - Goes Missing
- Written by Kenneth McMurtrie
The latest from Emmett Kelly and his assembled players was assembled on the march. Touring around the place, staying in numerous places both salubrious and less so, impressions were picked up directly and indirectly & channeled into the 11 songs of Goes Missing.
Kelly's fifth album of his own material, Goes Missing is a mixed bag of styles. Starting off mean, moody & magnificent with 'An Angel, A Wizard' there's a familiarity of sound along the lines of Robyn Hitchcock but also elements that are harder to put your finger on. 'Be What You Are', however comes in with enough jangle to make The Byrds jealous but is a short & sweet power pop gem, cut off almost in its prime.
Two songs in then and you already know this is an album you'll be returning to as the signs bode well for short, sharp bursts of lively, energetic fare along with more considered numbers such as the heartfelt 'She Don't Want You'.
It feels like a long time since I last listened to an album such as this. There's an almost timeless quality to the songs though - you can imagine it being the kind of record that the use of one song in a Brat Pack film soundtrack a couple of decades ago would have propelled to brief success, followed by years of solid work in the same vein that only a dedicated fan base would be concerned about once prevailing trends in music had reasserted themselves.
Kelly doesn't give the impression of caring much though and that's another of the strengths of the album - he's able to do his own thing at his own pace so there's no missed opportunities through studio or label pressure. This is great work from a guy patiently ploughing his own furrow and you know that if he does go missing it won't be for good & what he returns with will be equally special.
