Music reviews are littered with cliche – “like you’ve never heard before”, “unique”… but this Glasgow-based solo (yes) act justifies any hype.
Recorded largely on a phone, Stephen Farrell (to his mum) has produced a bizarre collection of what are still highly-crafted pop tunes.
Tales of metal soldiers coming to life and ghostly handymen match the music for eccentric wonder. And there’s ‘David Bowie Never Had To’, listing all the things that the departed legend got off with e.g. “taking the bins out while still wearing his gig clothes”.
I hesitate to resort to hyperbole unless entirely necessary, but the phrase “misunderstood genius” is coming to mind…
(This review originally appeared in the Queensferry Gazette)