Reviewed by Andy Shaw

Singer, songwriter, broadcaster and journalist Lins, from Perth, Scotland, is a member of the Tunesmiths, an online songwriting collective where each member is challenged to write and record a piece in a different predetermined genre each month. The output from these challenges has been compiled with the release of 'Volume 1' in 2014 and 'Volume 2' in 2016. 'Volume 3' sees a further 13 compositions in a wide variety of different styles and using an impressive array of instruments and sounds. Opener "Ready For The Summer" has a calypso, reggae feel to it with the sound of waves bringing to mind hot summer days on a tropical beach. This is then followed by the mariachi-style "Casio Figaro" and the hauntingly dark electronic sound of "The Secret Diary Of An Insomniac" giving three vastly different styles to kick things off. There is classic blues on "Stealing The Blues", industrial sounds including an actual washing machine on "Washing Machine Drum Machine" and re-workings of famous pieces from Bach ("Tuxedo Toccata") to The Animals ("House Of The Rising Sun"). There is even a banjo uke lead Christmas song ("A New Light"). The fact that this is a compilation of tracks that by design are very different in style, genre and instrumentation means that there is no flow to the record. Whilst there is likely to be something for everyone, and that something might be different for each listener, it is not the kind of album that you would sit and listen to all the way through. Just as producing these compositions was a challenge for the songwriter to take him out of his comfort zone, it can be a challenge for the listener to appreciate styles they may not normally listen to.

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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