From the Manchester of The Hollies to the Hollywood Hills with Crosby, Stills, and Young (when he turned up), Graham Nash has been a benign presence on Planet Rock since the ‘60s, whether delivering Joni Mitchell-inspired domestic whimsy like ‘Our House’, or his angry ‘Immigration Man’.

Now is his first studio effort in seven years, and while he’s clearly lost none of his melodic grace, there is also the odd underwhelming moment. There’s a strident optimism to the opener ‘Right Now’, with keyboards and electric guitar adding further substance to Nash’s purposeful vocals, and there’s a Byrdsy feel to the defiant ‘Stand Up’. A ukulele heralds the arrival of ‘A Better Life’, a soft, optimistic effort about making a better life for the kids.

‘Stars and Stripes’ is another introspective shot, as Nash tries to figure out why the world is such a mess. The answer, my friend, is partly blowing in the title. With classy strings in support, ‘In A Dream’ is a piano ballad about finding the ideal partner, and ‘Follow Your Heart’ is a slice of romantic philosophy, spiced with more willowy harmonies.

A nicely balanced mix of sentiment and reflection, Now is unlikely to haul the Earth up from its self-inflicted morass – but it will relieve the tedium for a while.

Listen: ‘Right Now’ 
Score: 7.5/10

Out now via BMG.

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