Reviewed by Dougie Adam

The title track by Lorraine McIntosh and Ricky Ross, who, as Deacon Blue's numerous fans will tell you, are the mainstay of the Scottish hitmakers, is perhaps the only song on this EP I can imagine Deacon Blue tackling. It builds from one acoustic guitar and a subtle bass to a rousing anthemic finish with the sound filled out with pounding drums, thundering Johnny Cash-style bassy piano chords, handclaps, understated electric guitar and soaring vocals from Ricky and Lorraine. Deacon Blue fans think "The One About Loneliness" and you've got the ballpark picture, sonically at least. Ricky has hinted that the lyric sets the scene for the album as a whole. On one level it could be another love song but it is a lot more likely that as the verses revisit "All my worries, all my cares/All the pitfalls, all the snares" or focus wistfully on "All my flaws still shining through/All the things I didn't do" that we probably dealing with a psalm-like prayer in which the author prays our trust in God will see us through in the end. "One day we'll know/One day we'll see/Till then we'll hope and believe". Life is a struggle, filled with challenges, regrets and missed opportunities and yet God is there with us in the mix, as Dylan observed, in the time of my confession, in the hour of my deepest need. And it is there at one almighty low point in life that the B-side "Summer" kicks off with a lyric heavy with weariness, desolation, loneliness and mourning: "I will not take another step/I will not put my foot down again/I will not take another breath of this air that you're not breathing". The despondent lyric is married to the jangliest, most euphoric and uplifting musical soundtrack I've heard in ages. Lorraine's lead vocal simply shines while the track is propelled by urgent drums, thumping bass, shimmering acoustic guitars, chiming electric guitar while further ominous piano bass sounds add a dark gravitas sweetened slightly by the hint of high poignant keyboards floating in the background. Clocking in at three minutes and 30 seconds "Summer" is easily the catchiest track released by the group so far and an instantly appealing infectiously joyous classic B-side sadly only available as an MP3 download and not included on the album proper. A most Beatle-like move which cherishes and champions the status of the humble B-side!