TYLA J. PALLAS ‘Isolation Crossing Vols 1,2 & 3’ ‘Dead Men Sing No Tales’ ‘Live in Tokyo’

Back in April I reviewed ‘Isolation Crossing’ for Rockfiend - the first in a series of albums of demos written and recorded by Tyla at home during lockdown and released only on Band Camp. Before any of us had time to draw breath a further two albums of lockdown demos were released in short order (‘Mayday!’ and ‘El Dia De Los Muertos’) also just made available on Band Camp at the time. In response to demand from fans, all three albums of demos have now been released on a 2-CD set ‘Isolation Crossing Vols 1,2, & 3’, along with an additional ten bonus tracks – in the main full band, electric versions of his acoustic demos and including a cover of Hoyt Axton’s ‘Lightning Bar Blues’ (also covered by Hanoi Rocks).  

Spanning 44 tracks in total the level and quality of output written and recorded in just a matter of weeks is astonishing. But even more so is the emotion. Make no mistake, this music is as raw and powerful as it gets. Recorded as the songs flew and ideas developed, this remarkable series of lockdown albums takes you inside the mind, soul and creative process of Tyla in a manner most artists wouldn’t dare. No repeated takes, no studio production to hide behind – just music as it was conceived. For music fans, this is remarkable and the type of thing you’d normally have to spend hours attending Record Fairs or searching online to find unofficial or bootleg outtakes of. Here, Tyla cuts out the middleman and opens himself directly to fans. The tracks are too many to mention, but highlights include the haunting ‘The Chambers’, Tyla getting his Prince and Stones on in ‘Invisible in Plain Sight’ and ‘Pay Your Last Breath’, the gorgeous play on words ‘Tenderhooks’, the rowdy ‘Reckoning’, the rolling ‘Ballad of the Knucklemen’ and the beautiful ‘Best Thing Ever’. But for me the highlight of the collection is the Bowie-esque ‘Wherever You Go, There’s Trouble’ which we get in two different versions - in doing so reminding us once again, if ever this was needed, of his unique song-writing craft and delivering the unforgettable lyric “You’re mad, And you’re mean, And you’re beautifully unclean”. How many other artists would have come up with this and also made it work? Lockdown demos should not be interpreted as acoustic and safe. Tyla alternates acoustic and electric guitar with ease, the songs swagger, they slide, they live the blues and are raw, powerful, emotional, vulnerable and beautiful. Released as a Tavern Edition signed by Tyla. 

And a bit like when you’ve been waiting for ages and then three buses come together, ‘Isolation Crossing Vols 1,2 & 3’ is in itself only the first of three new solo albums from Tyla to be released this month. Following closely behind is ‘Dead Men Sing No Tales’. Changing the pace this is an altogether different offering in the form of a collection of spoken word pieces written by Tyla. This is a short album – containing 11 short original pieces mostly around 90 seconds each, followed by alternate takes of each on which Tyla is accompanied by Simon Hanson on drums. Short they may be, but they are packed with content. Initially sounding like stream of consciousness outpourings, this is deceptive and repeated listening reveals the clever and poetic use of language within.  

Speaking to Tyla while he was laying these tracks down it was clear he’s a big fan of Spike Milligan and surreal comedy. The content varies from the absurd ‘Soap’ (starting “There’s a bloke down our chip shop thinks he’s a jellyfish”) through reflections on the mundanities of modern life (buying a bag for life as he was sick of having bags full of carrier bags – in the aptly named ‘Bag for Life’), pondering on the omnificence of God - “I was talking to God the other day, You know in a way God understands, Because once upon a time in the Holy Land he was a working man, So I says to him – God, Don’t you think it’s very odd, That there’s been more sightings of flying saucers and Nessie, But there ain’t no pictures of you on the net” (‘Conversation Piece’) to satirical and darker pieces covering subjects as diverse as machismo-fuelled hatred and homophobia (‘Temptuous’). It’s release should not be a surprise to anyone who has followed Tyla’s career, his songwriting, his poetic love of words, of performing and of experimenting. As an album it’s hard to describe. It’s surreal and strangely personal - almost like a confessional monologue delivered conversationally one-to-one over a pint in his distinctive midlands accent. It’s definitely NSFW and a bit like a strange episode of Jackanory - if Jackanory had been aimed at adults and had involved taking listeners on a surreal trip. If you fancy something different, try this out - definitely worth a go and repeated listening. 

Bringing up the rear is release number three ‘Live in Tokyo’ – an acoustic CD and DVD captured over a couple of nights in Tokyo in front of an appreciative audience in early March just before lockdown. Providing a much-needed fix in the absence of live gigs, ‘Live in Tokyo’ both reminds us what gigs are and finds Tyla doing what he does best – just him and his guitar playing his heartfelt songs the way they were originally written. Yes, it’s hard to beat the rowdy, sing-a-long beauty of Dogs’ songs in their full band, electric glory, but there’s also something very special listening to them returning to their original form. ‘Live in Tokyo’ features mainly a defining collection of Dogs D’Amour classics including ‘Errol Flynn’, ‘Last Bandit’, ‘Heroine’, ‘Johnny Silvers’, ‘I Think It’s Love Again’, ‘Drunk Like Me’, ‘Ballad of Jack’, How Come It Never Rains’, ‘Saviour’ and ‘Billy 2 Rivers’. These and more, they’re all here. Presented here in the form of a 14 track CD and a 10 track DVD (comprised of songs mainly not on the CD, including three captured during sound check along with home video-style footage of Tyla’s trip to Tokyo during which it would have been rude not to acquire another tattoo). Particular highlights within the release include ‘I Don’t Want You To Go’ and ‘Satellite Kid’, both of which are much more intimate and vulnerable here than their full band versions, ‘I Don’t Love Anyone (More Than I Love You)’ which is always more direct, as it is here, sung to Tyla’s “missus”, ‘Scared of Dyin’, and ‘Dynamite Jet Saloon’. 

‘Live in Tokyo’ is available now as a Tavern Edition signed and numbered by Tyla. This is in different packaging to the one to be released on King Outlaw/Cargo Records in a jewel case in February 2021. 

COVID-19 has had a devastating effect on bands and musicians and we don’t know when gigs will return. During lockdown many artists, probably none more so than Tyla, have kept the music flowing and got music out to us. While some production and manufacturing challenges are still presented by COVID, Tyla continues to find ways around this and all three new releases – ‘Isolation Crossing Vols 1,2 & 3’, ‘Dead Men Sing No Tales’ and ‘Live in Tokyo’ can be ordered directly from the man himself at www.tylasarttavern.com

Home - Tyla's Art Tavern

Official online shop of Tyla J. Pallas. Musician, artist and head honcho of The Dogs D'Amour. Art, CDs, Vinyls, T-shirts and more.

www.tylasarttavern.com 

where stocks have just been delivered.  

So, while the pubs might be closed, the Tavern is very definitely open. Have a drink with Tyla. Go on, give yourselves, a loved one or friend a treat and order for Christmas today.