Review. Roddy Woomble - The Impossible Song & Other Songs

For those who know me, the fact that I've taken the time to review the latest Idlewild related release will not even come close to being a surprise. I have been a fan of Idlewild as long as I have been a fan of 'proper' music. Indeed, 'The Remote Part' played a large part in my 'musical awakening', as it were. I'm, as will become clear, not one of the Idlewild fans who have maligned their move towards folkier climbs from Warnings/Promises to Post Electric Blues. Each of these albums are as cherished as the classic 100 Broken Windows and Hope is Important.

As part of this folk driven shift in the musical output of Woomble, Jones and co, we were firstly introduced to Woomble's initial solo album 'My Secret is My Silence', which, while different to the other music I was listening to at the time, formed a brilliant contrast to my library of rock and alternative music. The same applies for Drever, McCusker and Woomble's 'Before the Ruin' and, last year, Rod Jones's 'A Sentimental Education'.

It will come as no surprise, then, that, when I saw Roddy Woomble had a new solo record coming out, that I was rather looking forward to it. Having heard the lead single from the album, the incredibly catchy, upbeat, yet relaxed, 'Roll Along', I couldn't wait to hear what the rest of the album had to offer. I duly listened in to the EPK released on YouTube and also the 'Songs from the Shed' sessions of 'Roll Along' and 'Work Like You Can'.

There was a slight mishap with my pre-order being delayed, so I listened to the album on Spotify, so please be aware that my first impressions of the album have been littered with adverts for Alexis Jordan's new album and adverts encouraging me to give blood. And Jessie J. Happily, the album is great, so I can't use my Simon Cowell-esque 'listening to it was like trying to draw blood from a stone' line. Perhaps I'll save it for another day.

The opening, bass and banjo led sound of the album in 'A New Day has Begun' has a distinctly country feel to it. 'Abandon your traditions/watch them disappear one by one' hints at a new approach from Woomble. One can only speculate whether this may be related to his new life on Mull or the fact that Idlewild are now on hiatus, leaving Woomble free to pursue his own musical ideal. Each of these events may give way to the 'New Day' of which we are told here. Regardless of meaning, the opening track is a statement of intent, the bass contrasting with Woomble's thoroughly Scottish tones beautifully.

Next up is 'Make Something out of What it's Worth'. This light, acoustic track is a soft, swinging, tune, which is undoubtedly pleasant on the ears without ever pushing the boundaries of music or threatening to excite. 'Work Like You Can', however, does offer something different. The accompanying vocals set the scene for a wistful, yet upbeat song which reaches into the reserves of overt optimism which have generally been absent in Idlewild records, with Woomble having historically preferred a cryptic lyrical style. It offers a simple way of life, accepting one's place in the world - the chorus line - 'Gather with others and work like you can/to live like you can' - hints at a simpler way of life, being glad for our friends and what we are able to do, rather than dwelling on the many things we can but dream to realise.

'Tangled Wire' reminds me of Fionn Regan's Mercury Prize nominated 'The End of History', with its simple picked guitar melody. Woomble's longing for a simpler way of life is again evident, speaking of 'living your life like a tangled wire' and 'trees lose their leaves like books full of words they don't need'. Being incredibly simple, this song did not have a profound effect on my first listen of the album, but it as, as the cliche goes, 'a grower'. The soft melody and profound lyrics make this one of my highlights of the album.

'Roll Along', being the single released in February in anticipation of the album, is a profoundly upbeat, almost jazzy number, with an upbeat verse which flows into a chorus which I hope to hear on the airwaves as much as it has dominated my iTunes use since its release. This song, as is the trend of the album, looks to disregard the complexity, pace and big questions which life throws at us - 'but you keep asking the same questions/about the nature of time/but they take far too long to answer/why don't we just go outside?' This album has the hint of a man who has grown to become comfortable in his skin - there is no need for confirmation of the 'great unknowns' in life; everything is fine just as it is.

'Hour After Hour', while having a hard track to follow, falls to be regarded, in my eyes, as one of the weaker tracks on the album. The series of 'oh oh oh' choruses towards the end hint at an experimentation with echoes of a more modern feel, with the bare essence of an electronic sound towards the end. I'm aware others may well disagree with this, but it's the feeling I get when hearing it. Having listened to the album a few times, it is one of the tracks that doesn't stick in the mind as readily as others.

'Leaving Without Gold', picks up the album by the scruff of the neck with the introduction of an electric guitar riff, along a sound which would not feel totally out of place on Idlewild's 'Post Electric Blues', or Rod Jones's solo effort. This track is pleasing on the ears, but once again without being anything spectacular. We are treated to a guitar solo, which is a surprise, but this brings a welcome contrast to the violin and clarinet solos elsewhere on the album. There is an incredible layered sound towards the climax of the song where the female backing vocals kick in on the final chorus, which redeems the song wholly from a lacklustre start. After a couple of listens, it becomes possible to credit the song with 'building to this climax' rather than the first half being in any way below par.

'New Frontier', from the title, looks, lyrically to echo the sentiments which we saw in 'A New Day'. 'This house will be a ruin before you know it/no matter how many times you wipe that table.' It begins in a style reminiscent of Norah Jones, with the vocals evoking a head much older and wiser than those Woomble has clocked up thus far. While this song isn't one which is groundbreaking, you get the sense that it isn't supposed to be. The piano lightly accentuates the shuffled rhythm of the track, making it a track to sit back and relax to, rather than one which will provide inspiration. It is a track, and album, for the contented.

'Old Town' opens with a sweet picked acoustic melody, before the deep, distorted bass comes in, which is then layered with vocals which are almost scrambled and are barely comprehensible. This seems a little unusual in the context of the rest of the song and album. The track then returns to the familiar soft picked melody before returning to the distorted sound, with an organ providing further depth to the track, which climaxes to an uptempo number, which might sit comfortably alongside 'A Pirate Song' from Rod Jones's solo album.

'Living as You Always Have' begins as if it was intended as a faster paced version of 'Act IV' from Woomble's first solo album. It flows slowly and evokes strongly the island way of life. 'I'll stay out til the sun goes down and play a trick on tomorrow' speaks of the simple delights that may be sought when living the simple life, as island life forgives those who tire of the hustle of cities, rewarding them with relaxation, where the rising and falling of the sun is something to be enjoyed, rather than serve as an inconvenience to commerce and busy lives.

'Gather the Day' is the track on this album which I have struggled to enjoy. While it displays perfectly competent musicianship, it begins in a monotonous fashion, and, when it reaches its climax, for me there is just something missing. It's not a bad song by any means, but it does strike as being slightly lacklustre in the context of the album as a whole. There is a romantic tone here, with boasts of 'I'll spend my money on you.', but I still can't quite connect with this song. Others will, as it clearly has something to offer, but it isn't the track I'll be coming back to this album for.

'Between the Old Moon', in its first 3 1/2 minute build-up to the climax of the album reminds me in places of the soundtrack to Sim City 4, a PC game I used to adore. The repetitive beat and pounding bass present us with a sonic landscape which, besides my budding town planner reminiscing, would be fitting as a soundtrack to a Brian Cox documentary. The beginning of this track feels like the album will close with a soft sound, but the progression of this song towards Woomble's cry at the end of 'Between the old moon/eyes like an alias', whilst I have yet to work out the motive behind the track, sounds mystic and leaves an eerie echo.

When the album loops back to 'A New Day...', it is hard to believe that both tracks are on the same album. What this reveals, though, is that this is an album that takes you on a journey and needs your attention. While 'The Impossible Song...' is unlikely to take the world by storm, it is an album which can provide a soundtrack to a spare hour. It is also an album which deserves to be listened to a few times before passing judgement upon it. On first impressions, I was disappointed, but now I am impressed by Woomble's new effort, if not blown away.

7.5/10

The album is available on Spotify here - Roddy Woomble – The Impossible Song & Other Songs

http://www.roddywoomble.com/
http://idlewild.co.uk/wp/
http://www.rodjonesmusic.com/