As soon as you hear the first notes from this finger-picking stylist, you are hooked on a journey which takes you to a destination, which couples the feel of old-time playing, with lyrics of modern references perfectly. The stories told, especially with the vocal support from the excellent Tessa Smith on “Never Can Tell”, “Unmade Bed” and my favourite track of the album, the brilliant “We’ll Settle Down Someday” make the even most mundane parts of everyday life interesting. David has the talent to switch from poignant lyrics, to foot-tapping tracks which have you grabbing your acoustic “air” guitar at every opportunity, as is the case with “Congress Street” and the great finale “Too Late” , add a gentler acoustic track with “On The West Coast” and the traditional songs “John Henry”, “Pretty Polly” and “Wreck of the Old 97” and you have one of the most rounded, genuine albums I have heard in a very very long time. Having already performed in London, Paris, Memphis and Chicago, David’s star is shining brightly, and will continue to do so with the release of an album which will surely be hailed as a “classic” for many years to come. “Never Can Tell” is a credit to himself and the musicians involved, described in one word……………… CLASS.
Paul Abraham
http://keepmusiclive.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/david-broad-never-can-tell.html
Originally published by L.S. Media. September 24th 2012.
L.S. Media Rating ****
David Broad is one serious find when it comes to new music and yet his influences are more in keeping with the country and blues legends of the 20’s and 30’s and his new album Never Can Tell reflects this perfectly.
For someone who may be an unknown quantity in his native home, David has played in some very far reaching places whilst he has perfected a very obvious talent. From London and Brighton to Paris and Memphis, on a porch in Mississippi to the stage of the West Yorkshire Playhouse, if travel does indeed broaden the mind, then not only is David’s surname in keeping but his music is as well.
Never Can Tell fuses the best elements of blues, and the legends of the original country scene and mixes it with English Folk music to create something very unique and insanely ‘more-ish’. The album opens up with the excellent album title song and from the first steady and beautiful guitar notes, the album never lets go of its intent or its fascination.
Original songs such as Congress Street, On the West Coast and Unmade Bed sit comfortably beside old traditional tunes as the superb John Henry and the whimsical Wreck of the Old 97 in a way that only Folk at its best seems to manage.
What stands out about David’s superb album is his voice. The music is excellent, the lyrics are divine and the overall composition is charming but the voice, that’s where it seems to come across the strongest on Never Can Tell. There are not many musicians that make their music seem so effortless on the voice and it is reminiscent of Amen’s Corner’s Andy Fairweather-Low. Not only is this the right quality to carry off the music David has created, it is also very appealing and just a little excellent.
Never Can Tell is a quality album by an artist who surely won’t be under the radar for long.
Ian D. Hall
http://www.liverpoolsoundandvision.co.uk/2012/09/25/david-broad-never-can-tell-album-review/
