Stuart Anthony - House of Sun

by Adrian Huggins

published: 9 / 6 / 2009

Label: Big Louis Recording Compnay
Format: CD

Compelling second album from singer/songwriter Stuart Anthony, which with its elegant and patient sound draws comparisons with both Tim Buckley and Nick Drake

Review

Accomplished singer-songwriter and performer Stuart Anthony offers up some utterly blissful acoustic moments on this, his second album, ‘House of Sun’. Having released his first album ‘The Colourful Truth’ in 2008, the Lancaster-based singer/songwriter has wasted no time in recording his second full length offering. Comparable to the likes of Tim Buckley and Nick Drake, it has their simplicity and patience and a real elegance to its sound. Superb production really helps bring the songs on it perfectly to life. A laid back demeanour shines through out, and, with the Buckley-esque title track setting the pace, you quickly start to see that Anthony is a cut above the rest of the acoustic acts that are out there. When I received this and read its press release. my immediate reaction was, "Oh great, another acoustic song writer singing songs about himself that will won't blow my mind or inspire me’. Upon whacking the disc in my CD player, I found that it did inspire me. I say inspire, but I should really say distracted me. 'House of Sun' is the sort of album that makes you want to just drift off into another world, or sit motionless and not get anything else done. The whole album, and tracks such as ‘Angels and Devils’ and ‘Falling Star’, hypnotise you into a relaxing trance. Unlike many solo acoustic albums, 'House of Sun'doesn’t reek of self indulgence and self importance. Nor is it chocked full of mournful tales or stories of the constant struggling artist. 'Legacy' pays tribute to Nick Drake, while on other tracks Anthony is more concerned with the world in general. The music is upbeat, but has a gentle, slow pace. I particularly found the bass lines and use of drums on this album effective. They complement the feel of the tunes rather than just acting as a backing for the sake of backing. Some of these songs reminded me of the sort of feeling you get from listening to the more tranquil moments of the Lightning Seeds. Especially with the summer evenings upon us again this is a great soundtrack to be kicking back to.