James Righton
The Performer

James Righton chooses to change his artistic path once again post-Klaxons.

The former keyboardist of the British nu rave band (which disbanded six years ago) makes his solo debut, three years after the false start with the Shock Machine project, which lasted the span of an EP and debut album.

"The Performer" tells everything about itself already from the title: the search for balance between public and private life (James is married to the popular British actress Keira Knightley), between the role of singer and artist and that of family man, is the focal point of the entire work. To delve into these issues, Righton opts for an elegant and fluid register, far from the disorganized twangs of the Klaxons and only in very few instances close to what he did in Shock Machine (the long "Devil Is Loose," which approaches certain things by Tame Impala).

The references now are called Roxy Music, R.E.M., Nick Lowe, and especially Alex Turner: Righton played on the last, seminal Arctic Monkeys album ("Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino") and "The Performer" was partially recorded in the "Studio One" owned by Bryan Ferry.

This solo debut is fundamentally a soft rock record, very elegant and inspired, that opens to sunny landscapes in the crystal-clear jangle pop of "Start" and the frenetic rhythms of "Edie" (dedicated to his daughter), and relies entirely on the evocative nature of tracks like the title track and "Are You With Me?," a heartfelt tribute to Supertramp.

"Heavy Heart" is whispered and sleepy, and it wouldn't be out of place in the last work of the "arctic monkeys" (in this sense, James Ford sometimes really lays it on thick), and, just like in that small great gem, it also takes several listens here to fully grasp the layering of an album only seemingly monochord and compact at first glance.

A nice step forward for Righton, who showcases an enviable quality of writing and lays excellent foundations for the future.

Best song: Devil Is Loose