Robert Vincent - Life in Easy Steps

  by Anthony Strutt

published: 25 / 3 / 2013

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Review

Robert Vincent has in his short lifetime been around the block a few times. In 2004, his then band Boa recorded in Memphis, while in 2007 his next group Night Parade recorded their debut album which was never released. Now in 2013, his debut solo album, 'Life in Easy Steps', is with us, causing Radio 2 to fall head over heels in love with him. This album actually left me scratching my head, and wondering what all the fuss was about. It is a decent enough country-orientated album, but nothing here is breaking new ground. Robert Vincent's music isn't unfriendly, but it remains in the mid-1970s, an era before he was even born. 'Light of the Stars' is lushly arranged and beautifully played, but it doesn't hit you over the head or make your brain go mad wondering what the hell that was. It is pleasant, and unfortunately that is about it. 'Burns (Like Cotton in the Fields)' - Robert's from Liverpool. Cotton in the fields? - is a mid 1970's country rock number in the old tradition Radio 2 vein when Radio 2 was a no-go area. 'Riot's Cry' is a bit faster, but is the sort of thing that punk kicked the doors against. 'Blue' is very mainstream indeed, while the title track is something of a toe tapper, slightly reminiscent of Johnny Cash, but again stuck firmly in the mid 1970s. 'Who Are You Going to Say? 'is rather dull, and like a miserable James Blunt. 'The Passage' is a country barn dance number, while 'Demons' is a slo-core acoustic number. 'Heaven Knows' is a slow, moody beast, while 'My Pill' is pleasant enough, but again rather bland. 'Second Chance' is the final number, and is like most of the album decent background music. I really wanted to like this album, which is very well packaged, but to break into a market where music is a dying art form one needs to try even harder. This album doesn't come close.

Track Listing:-

1 Light Of The Stars
2 Burns (Like Cotton In The Fields)
3 Riot s Cry
4 Blue
5 Life In Easy Steps
6 Who Are You To Say
7 The Passage
8 Demons
9 Heaven Knows
10 My Pill
11 Second Chance
12 The Bomb
13 Denial
14 I m Still Here
15 How Do You Sleep

Band Links:-

http://robertvincentmusic.com/
https://www.facebook.com/RobertVincent
https://twitter.com/robvincentmusic
http://www.last.fm/music/Robert+Vincen
https://www.youtube.com/user/robertvin
https://vimeo.com/robertvincentuk