Alexander Murray
The Company of Equals
No catalogue number
Released: 2010
This is the second album from a stalwart of the Glasgow acoustic music scene, Alexander Murray, following on from 2007's "Unaffected". It follows a familiar path and manages to maintain the high standard expected of him.
Alexander Murray writes big songs. He writes the kind of songs that would have been cause for worship in the heyday of British rock music. Those days are long gone of course but there is - if there is any justice - still room for a proper songwriter. It's easy to put your hands together for stadium fillers like "Resurrection" or "Diamonds & Pearls" and you can truly feel him carrying the heavy cross of life in "Runnin' With The Devil". He does stumble a bit with "I'm Not Made of Stone" - a simple and beautiful song that gets handled with X Factor crassness and - and a distinctly cheesy "You Make Me Smile". However, he recovers his batting average with the belting folk blues of "This Ship is Sinkin'" and the reflective closer to the album "Time Traveller's Blues".
With this album, Alexander Murray confirms his position as one of the best songwriters in Glasgow. Therefore, there is much to enjoy here and the album's failings are, I think, more due to lack of budget than any lack of musical ability.
Available from CD Baby.
Bluesbunny
Rating
Alexander Murray
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