Dave Clemo - Shine For You

Reviewed by Paul Kercal

There are two sorts of old fashioned... One is the classic variety, where old fashioned manages to reach around the initial perception it creates and manages to be relevant anyway... and then there's the old fashioned that doesn't. 'Shine For You' manages both. First and foremost the CD cover and text are old fashioned and unwieldy, pixelated image followed by lens flare accompanied by text that fights the image it sits uncomfortably upon. But this is about the music, right? Well that's where things pick up. Dave's strength is in songwriting and that comes across perfectly in the tracks on offer. There's a message of humility on offer in "Feet Of Clay" and "Reputation None", "Love God Hate Sin" manages a cheerful tub thumping air with a simple message in a chorus that you'll find yourself humming before long. Opening track "Amazing Grace" will likely split listeners into love it/not keen camps and is less indicative of the songs that follow than either might expect. All in all a solid outing and well worth a listen, particularly if you've enjoyed previous CDs from the Kettering journeyman.