Album review: Hugh Laurie: Let Them Talk
I’ll admit that I’ve never watched House, the smash hit show that has made him the highest paid actor on US television, but apparently Hugh Laurie’s character often picks up a guitar or sits down at the piano and belts out a few bars. Laurie’s first record, and hopefully not his last, is a stroll through fifteen New Orleans blues and jazz standards. The results are mixed and his affected American accent sometimes irritating, but excellent, passionate playing throughout from the man himself and an array of session musicians make this a good album.
The album opens with a magnificent version of St. James Infirmary. Laurie’s two minutes and thirty seconds plus melancholic piano introduction, sounding more like Chopin at times than Louis Armstrong, is fantastic and a really great way to open the album. The rest of the track, the album’s longest at six-and-a-half minutes, really swings jazzily and for me it was the highlight of the album.
That said, the record is not all downhill after such a strong start and other standout tracks include a rollicking version of Tipitina which Laurie really puts his own stamp on as well as a stripped-down take on Police Dog Blues which really does the song justice. The guest spots from Dr. John, Irma Thomas and Tom Jones also help to freshen up the songs they appear on and give a welcome break from Laurie’s affectation which is frustrating to listen to after a while.
The full band cuts on the record are a rich tapestry of sound, due to Joe Henry’s production and Allen Toussaints’s clever arrangements. Instrumentation really is proper New Orleans jazz with piano, guitar, bass, drums, slide guitar, mandolin, horn sections and string sections creating a whirlwind of sound.
Probably the most admirable thing about this record is the attitude of Laurie and his musicians. Sincerity rings with every note and you can tell Laurie just loves this music, is passionate about it and wants to play it. However one has to question whether he would have had the opportunity to record these songs that are so close to his heart if not for the success of House. Still, a good listen all the same.