- Label: 'ONE LITTLE INDIAN'
- Genre: 'Rock'
- Release Date: '25th July 2011'- Catalogue No: 'TPLP1101'
Our Rating:
MARC CARROLL was a name I hadn’t heard before this month. He’s an Irish singer songwriter with folk, country and alt-rock trimmings, and God knows there are plenty of those. So what a treat is was to love the album from the first riff of the introductory instrumental "The Boy Who dreamed". "In Silence" makes a virtue (so hard this) of putting quality songs into well-used formats, with a sincerity and magic that you can’t fake.
The man's heart, soul and love of music just burst out from that first teasing tune. It's an album to listen to straight from the bottle. No pondering is required. No critical discourse is needed. Let go and let it flow.
He seems to have heard and absorbed all the folk and country rock idioms since 1966, and he reshuffles them with complete assurance. It sounds natural, unforced and sweet on the ear. My pr notes suggest that One Little Indian have let him do just what he wants and the comfortably sincere sound that he produces confirms the claim.
On the first song "Love Over Gold" his voice evokes the classic textures and phrasing of Dylan on “Baby Blue” and Don Henley on "Boys of Summer". Over the top on reverb? Maybe. But it does no harm. The big soulful electric and acoustic guitar sounds carry over into "What’s Left Of My Heart" and make their layered changes through the rest of the album. Hooky little riffs and shifting chords tease the emotions.
Every so often there's a glimpse of another song or voice – Tom Petty seems to make an appearance in "No Time At All". But it's fun spotting them and there's neither lack of self-awareness or presence of artifice in what he's doing. Sweeney's Men, The Pogues and Paul Brady might be there too.
Early Fairport Convention get their nod of appreciation too – his version of "Matty Groves" has glints of Richard Thompson's young fire without being tempted into the extended solo. He sings the brute with great authority. The resigned and regretful "In Agreement With Reality" has a Knockin' On Heaven's Door" feel. A simple piano part and female backing vocals give it depth and lustre.
"Always" is a resilient anthem for hard times, "Press On" a delightful reversion to the perfect simplicity of something like "Blowin' In The Wind", without sounding the least bit like Donovan. The album closer "In Reverse" is a darker work, built (I think) from the album's overture spooled back to front. It's a neat touch.
I think I want that opening passage turned into a full length song with a chorus line to match. It's too good to hide away in an overture. It's an enticing album with nearly 50 minutes of music. I heartily recommend it to any retro-inclined lover of guitars and tunes.
