It has a heart and brightness that really made the mid-60’s pop charts the wonderments that they were, coupled with the sophistication and quality of modern day. Every track has something about it that brings a smile or a feeling of deep satisfaction.
There are plenty of clear influences, from the Beatles to Donovan to Al Stewart to 10cc, but none of it is soundalike or plagiarism – he has been enveloped in music for over 50 years so the best clearly rubs off.
John Williams has been around since the halcyon days either as a producer, writer, A&R man or musician, and that he is at the time of his life when he can take control of the music himself. And that’s all good. He has the chops, and he can call on some excellent musicians to work with him, but he doesn’t need to create a ‘band’, he can pick and chose vocalists etc. to suit the song – hence the ‘Syndicate’ – so he has gathered the likes of Jane Burgess on violin, rapper Slicko, John Moore (ex Jesus & Mary Chain), even Petula Clark on the best track here, ‘Luminescent’.
The musicianship and the songwriting are both superb. The subjects are close to the heart and the overall sound and soul so embracing. It really is a special album in many ways.
