• Band / Artist : Peter Searcy – mySpace
• Genre : Rock / Powerpop
• Sample Track Download : N/A
• Buy CD : Amazon
• Buy Digital Download : iTunes
• Rating : 8 out of 10

I have to admit when I put this album on for the first time, the song that greeted me, “The Summer Behind US”, brought back memories of ELO’s Mr Blue Sky. Yes a huge compliment and one that I’m sure will prick up the ears of ELO fans everywhere. It has that infectious summer pop beat and melodic lyrics that would surely sound at home on radios everywhere.The second track also has that deja vu sound, but I couldn’t quite narrow in on who it reminded me of. Similar to the first track it has a wonderful pop sound that really started to get me excited about the rest of the album.

Of the twelve tracks on this album, it’s around a 50/50 split between infectious pop and that more laid back sound that gives balance to album, providing a nice contrast. While on the whole this is a great album, it does have a couple of tracks that feel a little listless, “Bird Song” and “Truth Rises”, being the ones that failed to capture my imagination. “Don’t Let A Day Go By (Acoustic)” is very much on the road to mellowville, and I have to admit, it wasn’t a track that immediately struck a chord with me. I think the main reason for this is the very raw and emotive lyrical delivery, in conjunction with being a solely acoustic track. This is something that I normally really love, but here I thought he was singing in too higher key, which seemed somehow not to feel right. It was while listening to this album while on a flight, that this track just seemed to click with me. I think some of this may have been my emotional state, having missed my wife and kids, but on listening to it again, I couldn’t help but be moved by the sheer rawness of it.

The title track, while being a nice song, just didn’t have that oomph that I always look for in a title track. It’s a good song, don’t get me wrong, but wrongly or rightly I always want a title track to be a kind of 2-3 minute advertisement for the rest of the album and here I didn’t think the track does the album justice.

I love how Peter’s voice sounds on the track “In the Morning”. As I often do, I try to imagine an artist’s singing live and here I can just imagine Peter kicking some serious arse. The final track is a studio working of “Don’t Let a Day Go By” and just a sheer brilliant way to sign off an album. I’d love style here to be used on the acoustic track and I’m sure it would really ascend that version to a higher level.

Conclusion : Not an immediate hit with me, but something that really grew on me like a weed. A very welcome weed indeed. I’m sure from this spark a mighty fire will roar.