Reviewed by Mark Cribben

This is the debut EP from 2004 by the Scottish singer/songwriter now based in Manchester. The first thing that strikes you about this acoustic project is its light and airy atmosphere that allows Dan's voice to float over the top and weave the lyrics around the sparse backing. There are some interesting song ideas in here and the opening track "Breathe Easy" has Dan's vocal sounding not entirely dissimilar to Five For Fighting. The one down side to recording a very acoustic album is that it exposes the vocal. Any flaws are there for all to hear. There are points where Dan's voice is being stretched to its limits and is exposed a little on some of the high notes and when he has to push it out. I think he just about gets away with it as it gives the vocal a bit of character and somehow brings the songs a little more to life. This is not an album that you can easily put on in the background but demands that you listen to it to capture the nuances of the delicate vocal lines and to strain for the lyrics. The lyrics express an honest and open relationship with God that you feel gives an insight into that private and personal world of Dan's faith. As an album there are no songs that you will instantly be walking away humming although some of the melody lines from the songs "Breathe Easy" and "Plenty" may grow on you over time.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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