Edwyn Collins – Understated (AED Records)
LP/CD/DL
25 March 2013
Blah.. blah.. blah.. Orange Juice.. blah..
blah.. blah.. A Girl Like You.. Blah.. blah.. blah.......
Yeah, we all know about those two things,
but, what of Edwyn Collins now? He’s
produced several great albums since then and Understated, his eighth solo one, is
no exception. It’s a set of eleven
well-crafted, catchy songs that are both instantly addictive and appealing.
He’s still recovering from a stroke and
brain haemorrhages less than ten years ago which have precluded him from
playing much more than ‘that’ voice on the album, but, his ability to come up
with a great tune certainly hasn’t waned. Recording ideas and lyrics on tape and then
bringing to life via a very accomplished band, the result is a fine collection
of genres. Understated may be the album,
but, underrated is what his songwriting talents are, filed away with Babybird
under the ‘one hit wonder’ category, but, still pumping out stonking albums.
From the start the album powers along with
Dilemma, “that’s me all over”, proving Edwyn’s credentials as a writer of great
tunes, aided by a great horn section.
Baby Jean has a cracking blues riff, organ and more horns contributing
to a real feel-good song.
Carry On, Carry has an almost Northern Soul
feel, and, 31 Years is Motown, with their catchy choruses and foot-tapping
melodies continuing a wonderful example in album tracklisting, engaging the
listener immediately. My only
reservation would be can these tracks remain as engaging after several listens
and can they sustain any longevity? Time
will only tell, but, so far, they’re doing fine.
There’s a welcome breather in the form of
It’s A Reason and the autobiographical theme of Understated now starts to shine
through. Too Bad(That’s Sad) is passive
aggressive in a another Northern Soul mould.
All the lyrics on Understated are heartfelt
and very emotional, and, when Edwyn proclaims “As the years go by, I’m feeling
my age” and “I’m a singer (of sorts)” on In The Now, you understand you’re
listening to a man who is truly grateful of the position he finds himself in. When he croons “I’m so happy to be alive” on
Forsooth, a lump in the back of your throat appears.
The album ends with Love’s Been Good To Me
which is one of the most beautiful songs you will ever hear. Listen carefully and you’ll catch the sound
of Edwyn’s tears.
I’d like to say Edwyn is back, but, he’s
never really been away, and, if he keeps releasing albums like this, he’ll soon
be recognised for the great British institution that he is.
8/10
Published on Louder Than War 25/03/13 - http://louderthanwar.com/edwyn-collins-understated-album-review/
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