Stephen Fretwell

When one of my better informed friends let me listen to this album, I was amazed. This is the kind of music that - on certain moments - is ideal to listen to. However, I never heard of the good man.
It's mostly acoustic, a guitar, his voice, with occasional help from I think a (electrical) piano or the sort, harmonica, soft drums, backing voice. The songs are almost all good, and different enough. I didn't get bored like I usually do with too much acoustic singer-songwriter songs coming at me.
Personal favorites; 'Do You Want To Come With Me', 'Bad Bad You, Bad Bad Me', 'Rose', 'Lost Without You', 'Lines' and 'New York'.
Enjoy...

This is an amazing album. One review say its bad because he swears in the 'New York' track. Ahhh forget that 'New York' a great song with lots of passion about up and leaving where you are and finding a new experience because nothing else really matters as long as your together with the one you love which is passion not swearing. It's not an album that goes from one fast track to a slow one and then back to a fast track again, it's all mellow but a great chill out album. The sort of album you could lie in bed with someone listening to all day. I love it.

After a slow start,Magpie really takes off.It's a bit like a bird waking up,spreading its wings,waiting for the right moment to make its move. It tells stories about lost love(harsh treatment from women apparently)and the usual gamut of loneliness,tragedy and a strong tad of bitterness all in the mix.On its way it stutters,when Fretwell resorts to swearing-an unnecessary tactic by Bad Bad Fretwell-but understandable as the frustration cracks on New York.Emilie is a tragedy,but Fretwell still loves her,apparently,but there's no going back.

Resplendent in its achievement,it returns to the nest with a hoard of shiny goodies it's stolen on its maiden journey-the crown jewels being the wonderful final track,If You Go.Misery never sounded so graceful.