When Matt Owens dropped the opening single to "Way Out West", the electrifying "One For The Grapes", it did suggest that something special would be coming - but we were maybe not prepared for quite how good the album would be or just quite how far across the Americana genre it's eleven tracks would take us. With top quality tunes and insights backed up by some of UK Americas's finest, making telling contributions. this album is a sheer delight from start to finish.
"One For The Grapes" with its plethora of heavy guitars harmonica and keyboards, excellent as it is, is a sound that is really only revisited on one other track on the record, yet have no fear there are plenty of other soundscapes to dive into.
The album is full of recurring themes alcohol, ageing, divorce, and reflections on the past yet the album for the most part is not musically downbeat at all.
"Glasgow City Lights" opens to a marvellous mix of harmonica and drums, which gives way to a more brooding strumming guitar style - If Bruce Springsteen were to sing of the wonders of Glasgow rather than Asbury Park then it might well sound like this.
The unmistakable tones of the excellent Hannah White join Matt for a hard hitting duet on "5 Years Into Marriage", It's the start of a total change of direction in sound for the album. Mainly just to acoustic guitars, domestic life unravelling plays out before the listener, with each party giving air to the feelings
"5 Years Into Marriage and it's looking like we're almost done"
It is laced with many quotable yet brutally hard hitting lines, as each gives their assessment of where they are.
"I love you, I'm just not in love with you anymore".
A remarkable song where the gentleness of the tune is opposed by the starkness of some of the lines
"I never wanted a divorce until I did - Still you got Christmas and the house and kids
I never thought it would be me as the lonely one"
A piano intro introduces "You're Not Gone" full of reflections on a friendship passed with Matt quite honestly outpouring "I just miss you"
"Blindsided By Time" is an almost 8 minute epic - a piano and a divinely picked electric guitar latterly joined by an organ take up the opening 2 minutes before Matt even utters a word. - It's a track to be savoured in the dark with a pair of headphones and a glass of wine - where you can just appreciate the musicianship.
In contract "Morning Light" opens to mainly just piano - before veering off to an acoustic guitar and harmonica, as Matt addresses the passing of time.
"The Band Of The Bars" has an easy gentle feel - putting an upbeat tune to a somewhat downbeat set of lyrics - of a faded singer - dragging himself around the local hostelry's trying to relive former glories.
The album closes with "Twickenham Station", with Matt giving a plethora of interesting rock 'n' roll facts about where he grew up, specifically the local station, As with many of the songs there are many quotable lines none more so than
"These streets were home to Elvis Costello - I found out later - in a Glaswegian bar"
which almost seems like another song in itself. We hear of Rod Stewart, Pink Floyd, The Who and The Rolling Stones and their connections with this unassuming part of West London more famous for it's sporting context. Even when Matt moves to the unassuming touristy setting of Bath he finds himself living next door to where Phil Lynnott had. It's a rallying cry to the younger generation, not to wait for things to happen but to go out and be the instigator in making things spark and come to life.
By no means a Delusional Vanity Project - more one to savour!!
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