Music Club
Albums Review
Paul Heaton
The Cross Eyed Rambler
The Cross Eyed Rambler is Paul Heaton's first album since the breakup of The Beautiful South in 2007 "due to musical similarities". Listening to the album, you start to think why they bothered splitting up at all.
Ok, it's a little more rocky, but not enough to be offensive and reminds me a bit of Supergrass in the mid 90s. Heaton's strength are his weaknesses. It's very solid, but nothing new. In fact, the better tracks, like The Ring From Your Hand, makes no attempt to be new and shines in its folk tradition.
Gone also are the dirty little lyrics of before, though there are flashes of the absurd images and ironic rhymes. Heaton, like everyone around him, is moving on. But he's also quite resilient. Perhaps more like Murray, than Federer, he has comeback but not quite won the prize. And at least he's trying.
The Cross Eyed Rambler is like Sunday afternoon in your favourite pub. You know what to expect, but you don't mind because it's just what you want.
