Q is the artist formerly known as Colm Quearney, and Body Electric is his second solo album since leaving the cosy confines of band-life, as guitar-slinger with Dragonfly and Lir. Long regarded as one of the most under-rated axemen in the country, Colm has spent the last couple of years treading the boards with Mundy and Jerry Fish, as well as somehow finding the time to record the 12 songs that make up this album. How he managed to triple-job quite so effectively is a mystery, but his songwriting certainly hasn’t suffered as a result.
Tracks like ‘Rosetta’ and current single ‘Carol’, both of which feature deliciously soulful ‘sha la la’-type backing vocals from Bronagh Gallagher and former Dara vocalist Josie Doherty, display a classic timeless pop sensibility that deserves to reach the general public – daytime radio programmers take note. Indeed, Q’s songs generally inhabit a comfortable middle ground between all-out pop and soulful country rock, but thankfully they never veer into yawnsome AOR country.
There is a down-home feel to tracks like the haunting ‘Broke Down Engine’ or the featherlight ‘Baby Let’s Dance’ that wouldn’t be out of place on one of Emmylou Harris’ recent offerings. ‘Bright Star’ sees Q crooning his way through a quietly touching ballad, although ‘Ingrown Cheekbones’ is a little trippy and hippyish for these ears. The gorgeous ‘Himalaya’ has echoes of The Beatles’ ‘In My Life’ and Neil Young’s ‘Unknown Legend’, except instead of a Harley Davidson, the main protagonists are more likely to be riding on a Raleigh Chopper.
The production throughout is polished without being too squeaky clean. The musicians who Quearney has assembled display a natural feel for the songs, adding just enough to flesh out his compositions without crossing over into doodly MOR session musician territory. In particular, Bill Blackmore’s trumpet and flugle horn add a welcome touch of old school sassiness, especially on the instrumental ‘Flags’ and the closing ‘Sail On’.
While it’s unlikely to win any awards for innovation, Body Electric is a warm, endearing album that deserves to be heard. If enough people are touched by these simple, affecting songs, I feel the already overworked Q could experience even more demands on his time over the coming year.