Wilson, Ray: Makes Me Think Of Home

Makes Me Think Of Home is the second release of 2016 from singer Ray Wilson, the ex-Genesis and Stiltskin man following the acoustic based Song For A Friend with a set of 'plugged in' tracks that follow in a similar fashion. In fact had he released the pair as a double album, they would have made perfect bedfellows. Wilson's music is always from the heart and this proves no different, the scourge of alcoholism – something which touched one of his close family members – laid bare in "The Next Life" and "Anyone Out There", the latter focusing on the struggle to fight the affliction alone. The honest observation of "They Never Should Have Sent You Roses" looks at how the recent Scottish independence referendum split families, as well as the nation (something that we're still feeling in Scotland, maybe even more closely after recent UK political events). However with the beautifully poised "Calvin And Hobbes" all about the cartoon strip of the same name, there's more than a little levity to balance the score.

Wilson is on superb form vocally, his tones adding weight and poignancy to the atmospheric music his band of Uwe Metzler (guitar), Lawrie MacMillan (bass), Nir Z (drums), Kool Luczet (piano/organ), Peter Hoff (keys/programming) and Ali Ferguson (lead guitar and (I quote) weird shit!) provide with such ease. Add in an assortment of talent providing sax, flute, violin, additional guitars, backing vocals, percussion and string arrangements and you'll begin to get a handle on the depth, beauty and clarity of what Wilson has crafted here. The aforementioned "They Never Should Have Sent You Roses" opens the album, a singing, yet yearning guitar melody casually reminding of The Unforgettable Fire era U2, before almost tribal drums up the ante and Wilson's voice pulls at the heartstrings. The album's title track builds through a bristling atmosphere, drawing you in to the tone and feel of the music in quite spectacular fashion, the poise and empathy shown throughout allowing you to connect completely with the flow of what you hear.

"Amen To That" provides a more upbeat celebration of making tough decisions that in time prove to be the right ones, the sing along chorus hugely uplifting, while the more restrained "Anyone Out There" proves equally memorable. Add in the brooding shuffle of "Don't Wait For Me" and country tinged "The Spirit" and you begin to realise that everything created here hits home on many levels. Crucially alongside some excellent lyrics, it's the music – and the main man's voice – that prove the major draw. Two excellent albums merely months apart is impressive in anyone's book but to pull that feat off as convincingly as Wilson and his band have here, takes some doing.

Track Listing
1. Never Should Have Sent You Roses
2. The Next Life
3. Tennessee Mountain
4. Worship The Sun
5. Makes Me Think Of Home
6. Amen To That
7. Anyone Out There
8. Don't Wait For
9. Calvin And Hobbes
10. The Spirit

Added: September 19th 2016
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Ray Wilson online
Hits: 2958
Language: english

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