BILL Mallonee is a pleasantly battered ambassador for American folk-rock. He has the well-travelled aura of a melancholic troubadour and, fittingly enough, his songs mostly suggest journeys, both literal and figurative.
As a songwriter and a man, he seems to be striving for something, a glimmer of meaning.
His charmingly wayward voice, sometimes warm, sometimes harsh, resonates with such American greats as Bob Dylan and Neil Young, yet there is a suggestion of Lloyd Cole at times, plus, on one track, a similarity to the Canadian singer-songwriter Bruce Cockburn.
Mallonee, newly signed to West Yorkshire label Fundamental, says he strives to record music "with no filters in between". He is certainly successful in this, creating a wonderfully intimate sound with no plush production to deaden the enjoyment.
The title track is given a "casual reprise" and comes off all the better for that, while many other strong songs abound, including Overflow, Shellshocked and the haunting Neil Young-esque After The Glow.
Updated: 08:55 Thursday, March 04, 2004
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