Good old fashioned
easy-on-the-ear pop, big on tunes and refreshingly low on cynicism.
Every once in a while a
record comes along that may be out of step with current fashions, but
is so well written and executed that it deserves a wider audience.
This debut solo effort from Duncan Maitland is that sort of record. A
shame that quite often such records fall through the cracks
press-coverage wise, losing column inches to lesser-talented
attention seekers.
Comprising of eleven
songs, all with big catchy melodies, that hark back to a time when
tunes were considered an essential part of a record's make-up.
(Strange to think that melodies are now often an afterthought to a
lot of today's song-smiths.) This album sounds to me like the latest
addition to that peculiarly English or Anglophilic thread of music
and songwriting that begins with McCartney's White Album
contributions, continues with the melancholic baroque pop of The Bee
Gees, and Gilbert O'Sullivan, through ELO's less bombastic moments,
and continues with XTC and the adult-orientated pop of Crowded House
and The High Llamas.
It's the early 70's
sound that resonates most loudly throughout this set of songs. Real
instruments well recorded with an analogue warmth, and treated with
just the right amount of minimal effects make for an album that would
sit nicely in your collection next to any of the artists mentioned
above. The XTC comparison is particularly pertinent, with Maitland
having previously contributed keyboards to their recordings, and also
written songs with Andy Partridge. The artistic cross pollination is
returned by XTC's Colin Moulding guesting on Maitland's album.
Highlights include the
ascending “ba, ba, ba” backing vocals on Crash Position. (Jimmy
Saville would have approved!), along with the fairground organ gone
wrong intro of Horror Stories. There's even room for some Sinatra
style crooning for album closer Insect Under The Stone. In truth
there's not a bad track here, and though it may be a little too soft
rock for some folk's tastes that would frankly be their loss.
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