Reviewed by Paul Kerslake

Glenn is a mainstream singer/songwriter, originally hailing from New Zealand but now settled in the UK, who is currently picking up airplay with tracks from this, his debut album. The opening track, "Ordinary People" is a brooding, expansive and deep work, with a great hook, "All the ordinary people, who live extraordinary lives". It was almost a hit single, and should have been. "Just No" juxtaposes "Ordinary People" with a bright, positive hook, coupled with Glenn's poetic lyrics. This is a diverse album, the 14 tracks are all quite different but clearly cut from the same cloth; Glenn possesses a great voice, which has an incredible range that he makes full use of. "Little Bird" is a nice stomping mid tempo rock number, which then goes into "Never Find The Right Words" with its impressive string opening. Glenn, whose guitar dexterity matches his gifted voice, is backed by a capable and impressive line-up of musicians including, no less than, Sir Paul McCartney on bass (Paul guests on the opening track, and his melodic basslines are unmistakeable and a perfect fit). The 14 tracks are all written or co-written by Glenn, and having listened to the album a few times I can honestly say there's not a bad song on here. This is very assured debut from one of the most accomplished new songsmiths on the UK scene.

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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