Fresh from singing two of the soundtracks for the award winning film ‘Broke Back Mountain’, releases the first single from his critically acclaimed second album ‘Separate Ways’. ‘Everybody Move It’ sounds more like a title for the latest Lil’ Jon Crunk anthem, and one wouldn’t be mistaken for thinking Teddy had been invited into the live lounge at Radio 1 to do an alternative version. It’s just quite hard to get your head round, the chorus vocals are in complete contrast to the mood and melody, but perhaps this is the irony of it all? Alternately it could be a Folk camp fire classic, a subtle way of telling the boy scouts to get to bed now, or they will be in trouble come morning. ‘Everybody Move It’ is melodically pretty, although as a package extremely breezy, and just floats along with a neither here nor there sort of aura.
All is not lost however and the listener is provided with a second track entitled Turning the Gun on Myself’, which incidentally is not on the album, and is a far more worthy contender for your pocket money than track 1. Hearing this from upstairs whilst on the toilet you will be forgiven for thinking your mum slipped in a Rufus Wainwright album, the resemblance is uncanny though not unbelievable. Apparently both Rufus and sister Martha sing backing vocals on ‘Everybody Move It’, although there is no credit on the CD to indicate this. ‘Turning the Gun on Myself’ is a pensive Folky Ballad, containing a warm sound but contradictory chilling mood. Not advised if you are on anti-depressants or suffering a recent emotional trauma.
Rating: 7/10 (based mainly on the 2nd track)
Words By: Peter Litchfield
