RIYL: Del Amitri, The Cure, Todd Thibaud
Most of you probably do not recognize the name of Justin Currie, but you would if you heard his voice – the smoky and positive tenor that fronted Scottish pop/rock band Del Amitri for two decades. Currie is back with his second solo effort, The Great War, and it’s a solid batch of songs that showcase his way with melody, arrangements and powerful songwriting in general. The Great War is a very balanced set of music – that is, Currie doesn’t write songs that sound the same, his voice being a constant but not much else. And that’s a good thing; Currie also has an interesting way with a hook, as he does on one of the album’s best tracks, “Anywhere I’m Away From You,” which clearly jabs at an ex: “I ain’t running home / Because home is anywhere I’m away from you.” It’s straightforward, funny, and has a funky, bluesy backdrop featuring some real slick guitar work. He does the same tongue-in-cheek thing with success on “As Long as You Don’t Come Back.”
Other standouts are the piano ballad, “You’ll Always Walk Alone,” the Del Amitri-ish “Can’t Let Go of Her Now” and the beautifully haunting, “The Way that It Falls.” It kind of sounds like Currie is coming off a breakup, and sometimes breakups inspire the best songs. Sad, but true, and certainly we fans of good alt-pop or of Del Amitri are the lucky beneficiaries. (Rykodisc 2010)
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Posted in: CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Pop, Rock
Tags: alt pop, Del Amitri, Headlines, Justin Currie, Ryko, Scottish band, The Cure, The Great War, Todd Thibaud