Reviewed by Lins Honeyman

France-based British singer/songwriter Tony Clay's second solo album 'Rain' has just been released some 32 years after he originally emerged with his debut. Recorded at Eastbourne's ICC Studios and produced by another singer/songwriter Keith Loring, Clay's first album unfortunately never received the distribution or acclaim it deserved due to record label problems but is still available on vinyl if you know where to look. The new wave and emerging new romantic influences of the day shine through with the likes of the single "This Ain't Paris" smacking of Elvis Costello & The Attractions whilst the relationship song "Lying To Me" has echoes of the Human League's "Don't You Want Me". Having said that, Clay was and still is an original songwriter and his personality, skill and passion shine through on tracks like "I Don't Want To Be A Rebel" and "Rare Spirits Of Foreign Origin" which reference his Christian faith and pass social comment respectively in inventive fashion. Impressively, considering the lack of budget they had at their disposal, Clay and crew were evidently reaching for and achieving the kind of sound that bigger names of the time had on their records and the arrangements on this release are surprisingly lavish and ambitious. Moreover, it stands the test of time and still sounds as fresh as it did when it was released over three decades ago. If you ever stumble across the vinyl 'When You're Down.' it's well worth purchasing.

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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