Reviewed by Stella Redburn

This is the second album from the Hertfordshire-based singer/songwriter. Immediately one registers that Richard has a strong voice which can effectively jump to falsetto while some of the songs here grew on me. Some are really strong with good hook lines, like "Crazy Daisy" and "Hook, Line And Sinker", but I found the purely acoustic, unarranged songs a bit samey especially as Richard's lyrics tend to lack rhymes and so seem less memorable. I preferred the bigger, more upbeat numbers. The 'do-da-dos' in "Sunlight" tend towards a bit of a nice Van Morrison sound. He gets a great groove going on "This Side". "Life Goes On" has a real pop feel with a catchy chorus and guitar riff and a nice middle eight. The songs are Richard's current reflections on life and there's nothing overtly Christian in the lyrics, although plenty of coded references once you know. All in all, I enjoyed this album, mainly because of Richard's voice.

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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