Time changes musicians. As is evident thanks to the decade-long hiatus between the previous releases from thrilling Tayside electronic act Luxury Car and frontman John Robertson’s debut solo release.
While there are small elements of Talk Talk in the sound, it’s more a shift in style, going from pop to a much more atmospheric feel. Opener ‘Tony’ is a starkly emotive torch song, in the vein of Jacques Brel, well, until the frantic Aphex Twin-style rhythms kick in.
It almost comes as a surprise to hear guitar on ‘Sisters Goodnight’ such is the electronic-based soundscape built up, and it’s the most ‘straightforward’ song as well, although lyrically engrossing and mysterious.
Time travel tale ‘Love Over Parsecs’ aptly employs very 80s instrumentation, evoking The Blue Nile or even ‘Vienna’-period Ultravox.
‘Up And Down The Old Perth Road’ by contrast an almost lolloping country tune with lyrics to match, while the title track sees the protagonist enter a dream-like state, channelling mid-period Scott Walker.
In all, a welcome return for Robertson, proving that a change is often as good as a rest.
This article originally appeared in the Blackpool Gazette.