However, in between these two albums was a duo album with Ed Woltil, Shadow Play, their second, in which I described it as the pensive meeting the jaunty. You can read that Review here. That album appeared in our Best Albums Of 2022.
So we were expecting big things from this release and boy do we get them. Ed Woltil is again present on production duties and adding some exceptional Guitar. Dave Gregory again guests on two songs, one of which is a dead ringer for XTC.
Dealing with that song first, The King Of Scatterbrain is very much a sort of Mr Empty Head Part 2, but Gregory is present on this one and Robinson's vocal is so Andy Partridge whilst the arrangement is very Oranges And Lemons with acoustic hints that are more Mummer. Emma Robinson even sounds a little Colin Moulding at the end. It is Psych Pop of the highest order.
Robinson is a long time Englishman abroad and the songs do sound more than a little Brit, but the closest that his gentle melodic vocal comes is to that of Neil Finn. The album does feel even more laidback than previous albums, there are less burst out moments than what has gone before.
That doesn't lessen the album, quite the reverse, because the lyrical adeptness reveals itself far more and these songs are lit up by inspired Guitar moments. There are also some real standout moments.Are We There Yet? is wonderfully brooding and builds and builds.
Hesitation Blues is great 70s Pop Rock with a vocal that is very Gilbert O'Sullivan and Unnecessary Wars is a corker of a song with a killer chorus and again a fine turn from Gregory. An album to be listened to from start to finish. Why Oh Why is Steve Robinson not much bigger?
You can listen to and buy the album here. It is available on CD or as a Download.
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A great review for a wonderful musician!
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for the kind words of review, Mr V!
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