Singer-songwriter, piano-player and eminently qualified music tutor (he holds an Honours B.Mus from the Royal College of Music in London and runs a music school) Michael Maclennan’s credentials are impressive.
He also wears his (mainly American) influences proudly. Produced by the ubiquitous Gavin Glass, with impeccable arrangements and playing, it kicks off with ‘On The Right Side Now’, a Randy Newman-esque, gospel-flavoured ballad: it’s a strong opener. The title track smoulders with ever-building tension like something from Fleetwood Mac’s Mirage. And while the guitars are pure Lindsey Buckingham, the melody line recalls Jackson Browne at his West Coast best. Meanwhile, the plaintive ballad, ‘Carnival’ is strongly reminiscent of the spirit and atmosphere of early Billy Joel (‘Scenes From an Italian Restaurant’), while Maclennan’s voice isn’t unlike that of Joel’s distinctive New York tones.
Another slow-burning tune, ‘Once I Was,’ boasts an ambitious arrangement, with dense textures under a languid rhythm and an autobiographical lyric. He puts in a soulful vocal performance on ‘Peaceful Mind’ – a Southern-sounding ballad that isn’t a million miles from Elton John tunes such as ‘Tiny Dancer’ or ‘Levon’. Dramatic, impassioned and epic in every sense, ‘Foolish’ is breathtaking, with the closing crescendo recalling the Moody Blues’ ‘Nights In White Satin’ in atmosphere. The closing track, ‘Old River’ recorded live in the legendary Sun Studios in Memphis with seasoned session players, boasts the kind of blue-eyed, gypsy-soul swagger that made Rod Stewart’s version of ‘Handbags and Gladrags’ a classic.
Musically, you might have heard it all before, but Maclennan brings a fresh perspective to a classic period of rock songwriting.
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