(Translated by G. E. Light from
my original Italian text)
The Bedlam Rovers belonged to the San Francisco folk movement of the 1990s,
itself inspired in equal measure by 1960s protest folksingers and 1970s
punk-rock. The group's sound was inspired by the Cowboy Junkies and 10,000
Maniacs, with Caroleen Beatty cast as Merchant/Timmons,, but in reality the
group has more connections to a British folk style which looks to Richard
Thompson and Billy Bragg.
Wishing Well appeared on a local compilation, Devouring Our
Roots - San Francisco's New-Folk Uprising;(Alias,
1990), and suggested a "Celtic" group who enthusiastically mimicked
The Pogues., but for the first album <I>Frothing Green</I> (Heyday,
1990), the band changed directions, embracing the cause of 60s Hippie Protest
songs ("Objectivity"). Without giving up beautiful
melodies (the title track), the band melded aggressive guitars ("Recycle
or Die") and a ska-like rhythm section to the magical violins of Cynthia
Wigginton. The Bedlam Rovers remained devoted to civil causes and political
activism.
Preceded by the 10"
"Roll Over", (Spirit), The 2nd album Wallow (Spirit 1993) adds spices and ska quadrilles and above an
almost hard rock quality as evidenced on "Scream." Losing Jeremy
O'Doughaill who had been the primary songwriter, the band turns to guitarist
and singer Marko "Soapbox" Sackman. At the same time the band's sound
shifts, becoming heavier and more dissonant in imitation of The Mekons
("Big Drill") but also with even more prominent ska inflections
("Diffrence").
With X-Tal [from whom they
sometimes copied) The Bedlam Rovers represented a unique variant of San
Francisco folk-pop
(Original text by Piero Scaruffi)
Bermuda Triangle Service (Bermuda Triangle Service, 2000)
was Cynthia Wigginton's next project.
Wigginton's material ranged from
sumptuously arranged baroque madrigals (Kukui Lei)
to instrumental folk music for small ensemble (Spring Of The Lizzies),
from spare, surreal country dirges (Motel 5)
to solemn blues lullabies (Shaka Cowboy, the best showcase of her violin playing).
The last of these bizarre fairy tales, Last Dada Dance,
is a psychedelic drift with creative vocals that sounds like
Meredith Monk fronting the Holy Modal Rounders.
Wigginton's new project was both daringly erudite and tenderly innocent.
Bermuda Triangle Service's High Swan Dive (2004) was a broader excursion
with a stronger rhythmic emphasis. The best songs are engulfed in an atmosphere
that is both exotic and childish
(Pokerhuntus Was Her Name,
High Swan Dive).
Perhaps too many songs use a very slow tempo, although at least one, the closing
Last Dada Dance, does so in a mesmerizing manner.
The "Hawaian" lullaby Kukui Lei, with the violin leading a slow elegant dance, is the catchiest tune, but
the eerie Caine is easily the most original track here.
