Copious Notes
Turn-Up, 2021
9/10
An original member of the seminal outfit The Doughboys, Richard X Heyman has enjoyed an impressive solo career that now includes over a dozen albums, including this new one that was fleshed out in his home studio during the pandemic.
“Nearly There” starts the listen and makes an immediate impression with soothing backing vocals and light melodies as folk-rock and Brit-rock are present in his flowing formula, and “Choices We Make” follows with warm acoustic strumming alongside Heyman’s gritty yet tuneful singing.
Approaching the middle, the soulful brass and punchy drumming of “Sink Or Swim” illuminates the retro rock’n’roll spirit, while “Oval” recruits firm keys and lush textures in its graceful and adventurous delivery. “But Our Love”, an exceptional tune, then gets hazy, where some of the best singing on the album resides amid the dreamy strings.
The later tracks offer the rugged and pretty “Return To You”, which benefits from organ and a swift and dynamic rhythm section that emits a sing-along quality, and “The Great Good” exits the listen with Probyn Gregory’s strategic trumpet and Nancy Leigh’s calm backing vocals as Heyman proves he’s still doing what he does best at an exceptional level.
Heyman’s song craft is a diverse as the instruments he plays on this album (guitars, vibraphone, drums, piano, shaker, etc.) as many forms of nostalgic rock’n’roll and bits of Motown won’t go unnoticed. In addition to Leigh and Gregory, Duke Guillaume handles saxophone, Kaitlin Wolfberg offers violin and viola, Chris Jenkins plays viola and Julia Kent contributes cello on this meticulous and nostalgic record that’s as timeless as anything in his catalog.
Travels well with: Tim Foljahn- I Dreamed A Dream; Benjamin Jayne- Theater