Singer-songwriters have a fine tradition of disguising themselves as bands. Witness Paul Weller behind The Jam, Elvis Costello behind The Attractions, or even, Paul McCartney in his Wings period.
James McArthur continues this fine tradition with his Head Gardeners. He has lots of points about life, love and the state of the world, if ‘Maelstrom’ and ‘Spin Cycle’ are anything to go by. They, along with the rest of the album, threaten to take you on a journey. There are lots of interesting pit stops along the way, in ‘Once Upon A Pit Stop’ and ‘Tread Lightly My Dear’.
These cause your ears to stop dead in their tracks and make sure you don’t miss any interesting wee details. McArthur’s intimate delivery, for one thing, makes this seem less like an album at certain points and much more like a sonic confessional.
Available online at Emusic.com. More info at jamesmcarthurmusic.co.uk
