Review:

on 2011-09-04 SirEdwinCBE Said:

Opener "Stay The Same" is a pleasing tune built around a simple guitar and vocals arrangement. Feel good backing vocals complete what is a happy little track that bridges between folk and singer songwriter. At times too simple for it's own good, although that's not a negative point necessarily.

Next up is "Pretty Little Thing", an honest song where the Scottish accent works for them  providing a stoic, world weary image of the performer for the listener. This conversational tone highlights and reinforces the heartfelt lyrics, referring to love lost and an opportunity missed.

"Life With You" follows the same folksy-acoustic blueprint used on previous tracks but has more of a driving force behind it. There's still that minor feeling in the air, but things have been put up a gear  something that was sorely needed with such bare instrumentation and predictable arrangments the looming pitfalls for acoustic artists.

"Back To You" finally fullfills that acoustic, Californian, summer, feel good fun that McKell, Ross & Gill are capable of. A bouncy track that shows there's another side of the Scots that isn't all about cold, wet, rainy days.

Next track, "Cool For Three" contains some clever lyrics and rhyming schemes that you'd have to hear to believe work at all. There's something charming about the Scottish accent that does suggest that he's content with being down on his luck, almost as if he's grown to expect disappointment.

Closer "Endless Game" features, gasp, harmonica  where the fuck did that come from? I literally got a fright when the harmonica sprung into life at the start of the track. After that, it's the same old story  one guy and his guitar with campfire choruses.

Rating  5/10  A let down from what are three varied and skilled musicians
Rating: 6/10