CD Review - Jo Mango – ‘Paperclips & Sand’

Some wonder why Harry Webb became Cliff Richard, Richard Starkey became Ringo Starr and why the hell Bryan McFadden became Brian McFadden. It’s simply because musical performers need a half decent name. After all McFadden is… well not doing much nowadays; thus proving that a mere letter substitution is never as effective as a wholesale name change.

She may be aware of this, but Jo Mango isn’t the best stage name. Same goes for Trevor Pineapple or Suzie Banana. However, we promise to judge the Scotswoman’s Paperclips & Sand album on its content and not solely on the basis of her name. Well, maybe not right now anyway.

So what’s Paperclips & Sand by Jo Mango actually like? It’s basically in the
mould of Damien Rice and other lonely folk solo performers who gain
prominence on Radio Two - and that’s not always such a bad thing.
Basically, there’s many a pretty song amongst some saddened tales of woe.

Standout track goes to the elegant ballad Gomer. Accompanied by an
acoustic guitar, piano, strings and a bloke called Alan Peacock; it
hits all the right emotional buttons in no apparent order. Even though it
carries on for seven minutes, it all works brilliantly, even against
the traditionally overused “do you love me?” lyric.

With its slamming broken beats and pushing momentum, Blue Light is
quite an unusual choice to put on this album. That’s not to say it’s a
bad decision; no, in fact it’s quite a needed innovation. It’s the sort
of track you imagine to hear on Mango’s (still sounds funny dunnit?)
follow-up album. It cleverly picks up a heavy-rock feel from nowhere,
but without actually going all three-pickup Gibson Les Paul (if that’s
too esoteric for you, think of Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page).

Paperclips & Sand is one for late-night listening. It’s pleasant, with the same
gentle pace throughout, which is very much part of its understated, subtle
charm. Yet, this album doesn’t have the distinction
you get with folk performers like Nick Drake or The Fairport Convention. Those are hard
acts to follow; that is a given. Still, such artists stand out vocally
and musically. Sorry to say it, but, with the exception of a
couple of great tracks, Paperclips & Sand could be produced by any
generic folk artist, albeit one who has a pronounced passion for fruit.

[review by Jack Johnson]