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Rating:
It has been two years since the (good) return of Starsailor with "All This Life," and for their leader James Walsh, it's time to resume his solo journey with a new album.
This new album has materialized in the form of these new eleven tracks, produced by his friend and collaborator Greg Hatwell and gathered under the title "Tiger On The Bridge." It is a very intimate and personal work, quite distant from the "band" sound of Starsailor, and it highlights Walsh's craftsmanship in pop rock artistry.
The tracks all remain under four minutes, the splendid voice of the British frontman is always in shape and prominently featured, and even instrumentally, Walsh rarely indulges in slightly more energetic arrangements, as in the case of the splendid crescendos in "30" and the beautiful single "Heavy Heart."
The declared influences for this new path include names like Jackson Browne, Bon Iver, and Neil Young, and this is evident in acoustic sketches so sparse and essential that they perfectly showcase the excellent qualities as an author and performer of the Starsailor leader. Only a few times does the sound approach that of the main band (the opening with "Germaine," the title track, "Ida"), often instead we find ourselves facing pieces stripped to the bone and very direct, like the concluding "Success In My Failings" and "Glitch In The Machinery."
In a couple of episodes, particularly in the curious "Dream Of Mexico," he gets closer to stylistic elements more akin to certain American than British influences, which could represent an interesting avenue for Walsh's solo future.
Ultimately, an excellent album, a fine and refined pop rock craftsmanship work, from an author who probably hasn't yet received the recognition he deserves.
Best Track: 30
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