Will and the People - Morning Sun

  by Tara McEvoy

published: 15 / 8 / 2010

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Review

"Oh you’ve got green eyes/Oh, you’ve got blue eyes/Oh, you’ve got gray eyes," sang New Order on 1982 track ‘Temptation’. Stunning song, ridiculous lyrics – if this is the only comparison to be drawn between the Macclesfield four and Will’s band of cohorts, then it must be made – throughout the course of his debut offering, we’re treated to gems of lines such as "You asked me out to the bingo – I don’t do all these numbers and Granny dates/All I want to do is be a pirate." But if that sounds like it makes for harrowing listening, fear not – where the album’s narrative may veer towards the obscure, its musicality is a relentless tour de force of damn good tunes. Opening with the Ska- tinged ‘Troubled Pro’, Will is joined by the hummed harmonies of his backing band, yelping his way through the track, something which he continues on the following ‘Salamander’, yet backing vocals are here replaced by staccato strings and lithe guitars, contributing to a song that is a bona-fide hit in the making. Among other tunes which are sure to provide Will with a platform to hit the big time are the upbeat ‘Lion in the Morning Sun’ and recent single ‘Mr Sketchy’, yet, in truth, there isn’t a single weak track on the album. A distinctive dash of reggae, reminiscent of the work of the Police or the Clash, flavours the album, lending it an interestingly off-kilter, retro vibe. That isn’t to say, though, that the music veers towards pastiche – Will’s voice may, at times, sound uncannily similar to Sting’s, aching with a lovelorn intensity, but the mêlée of influences on display, all chucked together to create a hodgepodge of genres, driven by the lead singer’s sheer charisma, ensures the record’s relevance today. Daft at times then, but you’d be a fool to dismiss Will and the People on that basis - one suspects they’ll be going a lot further than ‘To the Bingo’.

Track Listing:-

1 Troubled Pro
2 Salamander
3 No Shame
4 Lion In The Morning Sun
5 Train
6 Stranger
7 Eyes
8 Propellor Heads
9 Mr Sketchy
10 Blue
11 Golden Thunder
12 The Game
13 Misunderstood