Peter Hall - Light The Stars

 


It has been a while since Peter Hall's EP on the excellent The Beautiful Music and that time gap may help explain how great his debut album sounds. Wonderfully produced, with big arrangements and seemingly a key to the musical instrument cupboard.

As well as the sound, the songs are immaculate. Nottingham hasn't had an easy time in recent years and combing this with the lockdown may explain the lyrics. Peter Hall masters making sad songs so damn chirpy, I can only think of Paul Heaton in a similar category.

Not that Hall's material is similar to Heaton's. There isn't the social comment here and this is a little more easy listening here. The slower songs edge towards the likes of Al Stewart. Yet when the pace picks up, the Pop Rock can match anything around.

Light The Stars is a real Singer Songwriter's album and then there is Hall's voice which melts you away. It is hard to believe that this is a debut album as accomplished as it. So much effort has gone into every song that I couldn't think of any way to improve it.

Light The Stars has a stunning arrangement to close it, jaw dropping and Anything At All sounds like a big Abbey Road number. One Last Day just aches beauty. But is the Pop that blossoms most. Save Yourself is great 70's Pop Rock, more than a little jangly.

Firefly may even better it, very Nick Frater territory, an epic listen. Hall is great at the slow verse leading into the massive chorus. The structure and instrumentation here is absolutely top notch. Great Songs, Great Artist, Great Album!

You can listen to and buy the album here. I would particularly recommend the wonderfully presented CD package.

................................