Justin Currie
The Great War
Rykodisc

Justin Currie fronted the excellent, ever underrated Del Amitri and has made a previous solo album. This record is the same kind of soft, though focused rock with soulful lyrics.

Opener "Man With Nothing To Do" has harmonies to die for, and a bitingly ironic lyric about a breakup. "At Home Inside Of Me" has an up-tempo somewhat Byrdsy tune married to a lyric about mundane but important matters. Currie's world-weariness is at once disturbing and comforting. "The Fight to be Human" should be bitter, but has enough humanity to escape unscathed, Currie's vocal resigns itself to being plaintive and biting.

"Baby, You Survived" ends the album on a bittersweet yet not hopeless note. The ballad mode suits Currie as well as the more up-tempo stuff. It's an album of immaculately crafted music with real emotions beneath its exterior.

Copyright © 2010 Anna Maria Stjärnell