Album review: ED COSENS – Fortunes Favour

Distiller Records [Release date 09.04.21]

Ed Cosens is the guitarist and one of the main songwriters in the Reverend and the Makers (one of the band’s former members Dave Sanderson appears on this album), a band who have been around since 2005. ‘Fortunes Favour’ is Ed Cosens first solo outing and as he says, “It’s only taken 10 years or so for me to find the confidence. I subscribe to the fine wine way of thinking – allow things to mature fully before enjoying. Nobody wants to be Lambrusco!”

‘If’ was the song that galvanised Cosens to crack on with his debut solo album and what a good song it is. Like all of the album it has that 60s feel. Songs you could imagine being played on a jukebox in an American diner or London coffee shop. The sound is wonderfully clear, for instance you can hear the violin and cello on ‘Last To Know’, which is beautifully composed and sung. Speaking of singing, Cosens vocal on the plaintive ‘Come On In’ see the album out in fine style.

Fellow Sheffield songwriter Richard Hawley comes to mind listening to the songs on here, none more so than the late 50’s/early 60’s pop feel of ‘The River’. Songs that can tug at the heart – the title track – and have you humming them after just one play – the upbeat pop of ‘Lovers Blues’.

Like the recent Nick Waterhouse album, Ed Cosens successfully takes a classic sound, in this case the slower and heartfelt end of late 50s and early 60s pop, and adds in his own musical touches and melodious singing style. Let’s hope Ed Cosens doesn’t leave it another ten years or so to release his next album as this man has talent and songs that have a lasting appeal. ***1/2

Review by Jason Ritchie

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Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024

In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections

Featured Albums w/c 9 December 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2024 (Singer Songwriter)