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Elly Roberts reviews
Heavenly Recordings/EMI
- September 2007
- Rating: 6/10
Edwyn Collins best known solo work is 1994s worldwide hit With A Girl Like You.
Previously, he was principle songwriter with Orange Juice. Now he returns withhis sixth solo album, but it hasnt been without considerable anguish.
It began in 2004/2005 until he was struck by a stroke, with lengthy neurologicalrehabilitation that followed. Recorded at his own West Heath studio in NorthEast London with a small band of musicians, Home Again is being regarded inthe music circles as one of his finest. Naturally, well never know whether hishealth shock was partly responsible for this relatively low key collection whichtook three years to surface.
Much of it is reflective stuff, with a folkie touch here and there which willprobably appeal to his hardcore fanbase. After that, its anyones guess.Despite his health issues, his deep honeyed vocals remain intact, as theyrea principal feature still.
Musically, it doesnt appear to have an obvious lead-in universal single likeWith A Girl Like You, though One Track Mind may be chosen but willinevitably fail to reach the top 40. Its the only poppy song here with itssteady beat.
Then I Cried is of a similar ilk, but again not quite strong enough,but the Motown beat is useful. My choice would be gorgeous floater YoullNever Know My Love, which is pretty darned tasty.
One Is A Lonely Number has a neat beat and mellow feel, full of heavenlymelodies a la Orange Juice. Its key figure is the sublime various instrumentationthat drift along, along with Collinss unmistakeable deep vocals.
There are some very effective ballads such as poigniant acoustic Home Again,that has parallels with Richard Hawleys songbook. Deeply atmosphericLeviathan is a mesmerising track, simply because of his vocal control,whereas In Your Heart is a real beauty and his most stripped back soundhere.
Striking a blistering pace, Superstar Talking Blues is an all outWestern romp harmonica, wailing Blues guitar and a niffty sticks outing.Weak spots are the tedious Written In Stone and A Heavy Sigh.
Despite these trivial criticisms, it may well be a slow burner.
Oh, a big welcome back Edwyn !
Weblink:edwyncollins.com
The full list of tracks included are :
1. One Is A Lonely Number
2. Home Again
3. Youll Never Know (My Love)
4. 7th Son
5. Leviathan
6. Its In Your Heart
7. Superstar Talking Blues
8. Liberteenage Rag
9. A Heavy Sigh
10. Written In Stone
11. One Track Mind
12. Then I Cried
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.