From The Grip onwards, one thing you can guarantee is that every Willie Dowling project will be packed with quality tunes. Fast forward to 2024, after Honeycrack, The Sugar Plum Fairies, Jackdaw 4 and The Dowling Poole, this is Willie’s debut solo album.

‘Let Us Begin’ manages to meld a slick, Queen-tinged melody to Willie’s customary smart, caustic lyrics. “We knew this was coming for most of our lives. Nobody wins, the anarchist sighs…”.

And sometimes it seems that the weight of having a social conscience sits heavily on his shoulders.

He’s joked about the Jeff Lynne comparisons, but musically the talent is at least equal here, though Willie is like the pessimist searching for a reason to remain hopeful. Understandably, given the warped nature of the world. It would probably be easier if he didn’t care, but he really does.

The piano-driven songs are beautifully played, and, as ever, the musicians are of impeccable quality (Andy Lewis and Jon Poole on bass, Darby Todd on drums). ‘Long Drop Down’ describes the idiocy of the “I’m not racist, but” keyboard warriors and the gutter press, while the title track is like Billy Joel with a rage of social ire.

‘Sadie Goldman’ “writes a line upon the wall; half of nothing equals nothing much at all”. This and ‘The Cure’ will appeal to those of us who appreciate the songwriting of The Feeling. The cello of Jo Lewis also adds another level to the melancholy. Jon’s bass playing on ‘The Gravy Train’ is fantastic, obviously, and Dowling Poole fans will find a lot to love here, unsurprisingly. It almost makes me want to buy a fretless. Almost.

‘Down The Slide’ gets its teeth into the world of the red top press, to a classy groove. “Don’t you let the truth get in your way. A retraction, but the damage is done anyway”. ‘I Killed My Imaginary Friend’ would be at home on a Sparks album (that’s high praise, by the way), and ‘In The Ocean’ perhaps saves the best for last. Willie’s voice has never sounded so good. “Regrets, you ask, I’ve more than just a few. They’re leaking out from places I once hid from view…”

While there are elements of the aforementioned artists, no one else but Willie Dowling could have written these songs. I hope that The Man Who Cared Too Much (copyright M. Chamarette) can feel some satisfaction in what he’s crafted here.

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Author: Martin Chamarette