Joker's Daughter - The Last Laugh Album Review

Review of Joker's Daughter's album The Last Laugh.

I purged myself of expectation, cleared my mind of troubles, pushed the imaginary stop button on the soundtrack inside my head and sat down on a comfy beanbag. All was silent and I could hear the gentle ringing created by many years of inner ear abuse. I pushed the button and let a new sound out of its cage.

As soon as the soft and childlike voice of Helena Costas started to flow from the speakers as her alterego 'Joker's Daughter', the blank canvas of my mind was suddenly being filled with a watercolour wave of surreal and fantastical imagery. I was transported through a multicoloured Arthurian daydream, floating above a vast green landscape where the trees stood un-chopped and the fields and rolling hills were swarming with mythical creatures; shape-shifting from one organic life form to another at whim.

The world of machines and motorways and concrete was still there beyond my closed eyelids, but I'd managed to escape it for a precious few minutes. I felt relaxed and intrigued by the melodies and strange lyrics. Next time I'm in a reflective mood and my mind/ ears cannot be satisfied by conventional means, I may just turn to this unique and unusual album once more.

Rating 5/10

Rory Taylor