This is Simon Bromide (Berridge) first solo album rather than as part of Bromide, he ventured north from South East London to record the album at Bark Studio's in nowadays hip and happening Walthamstow.
The album opens with the albums first single The Waiting Room that has a very easy to listen to powerpop indie feel to it that's part Teenage Fanclub part Velvet Crush as he sings about someone who still has that thousand-yard stare going on and just what that could mean.
Chinua Achebe is a song of longing, to move far away, in this case to China to start over, this is a song of thanks for his barber and the influence they had, with chiming guitars that soar and don't fall apart as suggested by the lyrics.
The Skehans Song is a tribute to The Easycome night run by Resonance FM legend Andy Hankdog that's helped promote loads of bands over the years. This is a lovely tribute to a venue and a promoter who has done loads to help all sorts of people for many years.
Not That Type has a bit of a downbeat feel to it as he sings about not liking people as the organ anchors things down for the guitars to gently fizz above.
The Argument opens with some rather nice Spanish guitar before the source of The Argument starts to become clear, it's the sort of argument that can only be settled by a good strong blast of the trumpet by Sir Terry Edwards in his finest Chet Baker playing the Last Post mode as The Argument drives them apart.
Slow Release Love is like a slow gentle caress of persuasion to give in and let the love into your life and let yourself be held and caressed as gently as the acoustic guitar is being strummed.
Following The Moon is a gently intoxicating song of the lost art of staring off into space and watching the Moon traverse across the sky very slowly indeed, this has a rather lush undertow that's full of warmth.
Reflections of Seating is an ode to the joys of sitting down while travelling that may make you as sleepy as the character in the song.
The album closes with Earth's Answer a song that seems in keeping with the end of the latest climate conference in asking for a better way forward in managing the planet over a tune that's somewhere between Nick Drake and Clem Snide while sharing bucolic imagery with The Incredible String Band a very nice conclusion to a rather pretty sounding album.
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