Album review: TOM ADAMSON BAND – Old View Of The New World

Blue Build Records - [Release date: 20.12.22]

Tom Adamson is a Scottish-born multi-instrumentalist who has played alongside and supported a diverse number of top-line acts including Sister Sledge, Supergrass, Toploader, Johnny Dankworth & Cleo Laine and er, John Barrowman.

This is the third outing for his band following ‘Medium Eyes, Blue Build’ and ‘Acceptable Tattoo’.

On first glance at the tracklist I thought “effin’ ‘ell, here we go again” with track names including ‘The Black Dinner’, ‘Oan Yer Bike’, ‘I Am Mean’ and ‘Paint The Town, Fred’ suggesting a comedic, novelty record with smart-arse lyrics trying to show you just how funny they are – you know, like Madness…

But I got it all wrong – never judge a book by its cover and all that.

Because this is a fine album – a weird mix of rock, jazz, folk, blues, Celtic and prog that gels together rather well despite its pot-pourri of genres.

A drummer by trade (although additionally playing guitar, keys and mouth organ here), Adamson has drawn together a great band of talented musicians to realise this project, particularly guitarist Jamie McCredie (a first-rate player) and Konrad Wisniewski, whose filthy sax is all over this record like a rash.

Whether it’s instrumentals such as ‘Ballyhoo’, ‘Kill The Kin’ and ‘Oan Yer Bike’, or Americana like ‘See The Light’, ‘Take Me’ or, in particular the John Hiatt / Fairport Convention crossover of ‘Waiting For Life To Begin’ the band are as tight as a gnat’s chuff.

There’s jazzy interludes on ‘Stillness Of The Night’ and ‘Feast Your Eyes’ – the latter in particular a real workout for Wisniewski, there’s a touch of Santana on ‘Let’s Paint The Town, Fred’ and a hint of Supertramp on ‘I Am Mean’.

But I would point you in the direction of ‘Sail On The Wind’ where fans of the guitar solo will be dampening their trousers and ‘Just Another Way To Make A Friend’ whose swamp-blues has McCredie’s howling guitar to the fore and an Alan Price-alike Hammond solo to savour.

It is, without doubt, a really diverse album and it’s this very diversity that could appeal to everyone or, just as likely, nobody – but, taken at face value, is an uplifting and entertaining set of songs that deserves a listen. ***1/2

Review by Alan Jones

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

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Power Plays w/c 11 November 2024

ARCANE MOON Hello Sun (indie)
S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)

Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)