Nick Gladdish Band - Last One Get The Lights 
Release Date: Out Now
Raised in Devon but now operating out of the Newcastle area as he has been for a number of years, Nick Gladdish is one of those musicians who you just can't pin down in terms of genre and that is always a good thing. 'Last One Get The Lights' plays to this strength of eclecticism and the ability to switch mood and tempo with the flick of the wrist and it is up to the rest of the band to keep up.
The album opens with 'When', a chilled Feeder-esque song that begs you to listen to it whilst staring out to sea or at least across an expansive landscape. Switching it up with 'Right Side Of Wrong', we are treated to a crackling bluesy number with sultry vocals and gorgeously understated organ sound before 'Ain't The Way I Work' rolls along with a pleasing tempo and Beautiful South style to the songwriting.
'Blurry Lines' is perhaps my favourite on this collection with it's rhythmic piano melody and mirrored vocal melody creating something that sounds like Maximo Park during a particularly introspective afternoon on the North East coastline. Just when you settle in to one mood you get hit with the country twang of 'Colourful Open Souls' and the mellow slow dance of 'Turn on Each Other' - albeit a dance of discomfort and anguish. There is, though, a more reeling energy to 'Anything and Nothing' which spins through the melody with indie-rock vibes.
'To Tow Time' has a Beatlesy lilt to it as the aoustic strum bounces along at a pleasing pace before 'Freeze' harks back to that Beautiful South sound with that vocal harmonies taking centre stage. Penultimate track 'One Day' has that McCartney influence again but the lyrical content is so raw and personal that it's hard to focus on anything else. The album closes out on 'Keeping It Together' which features a warm but sombre and sparse piano melody allowing Gladdish to explore the struggles of "keeping it together, for the sake of seeing it through, gripping to the edge, I can barely see you". This is not the cheeriest of albums but it is no less stunning musically and introspective lyrically and there's a lot to be said for that in these days of style'n'smile over substance'n'depth.
More information: https://www.facebook.com/nickgladdishmusic/
Live Dates:
20th February - Three Tanners Bank, North Shields
18th March - Tynemouth Social Club, Tynemouth