Ping is the first solo album by Deaf School bassist Steve Avo Lindsey, thankfully it isn't all about his favourite golf clubs, or sonar pings but more about life and its ups and downs during his 50 odd years in the music business. Steve is joined on the album by Tony Wims Wimshurst, Uainin Lindsay and Josh McCartney (Paul's son).
The album opens with All This And More that has a proggy funk feel, for all the questions Steve has for how he's ended up here, visiting Chester Zoo and all sort of other places, with a great widescreen mix that has all sorts of elements popping out at listeners, to keep you both behind the beat and wondering what's driving this forwards.
Beautiful 45 somehow feels like an answer record to the classic pop single Put Your Records On By Corinne Bailey Rae, no matter what's happened between you everything can be made better by spinning a great 45.
Cheers My Dears takes a glammy bassline, adds some handclaps and guitars for a song imbued with memories of days gone by and feels the need to celebrate those good old bad old days by raising one last toast.
To Know You Better is a love letter, or seduction by song, letting her know just what you think makes her the special one, that you need to ask out, this has a laid-back cafe jazz feel, for that person you want to take for a walk.
This Is My Song has a decidedly western guitar sound, for a real trip of a song, taking us across the planet and back again, deep production adds layers musically as well as lyrically, before a most unexpected musical ending.
Fabulous 208 isn't exactly about riding on the 208 bus or staying in room 208 in a hotel, but has some soft laid-back feelings for what it should be. Sweet Limbo is the dance Avo is interested in doing with you. if the cool laid back guitars can take you to that promised land.
Shirley's Early is about one of those dates where you swear you won't show up early, no matter how nervous you maybe, but when you do show up early so does Shirley his date for the evening, with the way this weaves it's way around Merseyside it could easily be the outline to an episode of Bread or the Liver Birds.
Olive Green has the drab sound of that Olive Green you may be dressed in but also has some weird flourishes, with enough going on with the piano parts to keep most of us paying attention to where this may end up, walking away in Sandy Shaw's shoes.
Royal Iris is a party on board the Royal Iris they are all having one last rave up while they are trying to make like they are heroic adventurers rather than drunken revellers on a ferry across the Mersey.
Place In Time is slow piano led reflections delicately played. The album closes with SDJ a memoir like song of remembrance for all the bands that mattered and changed his life, in particular the legendary Rat pack maestro Sammy Davis Jnr a man who fit several lifetimes into his one life, while not sounding remotely like any of Sammys own music.
Find out more At https://steveavolindsey.bandcamp.com/album/ping https://linktr.ee/steveavolindsey????www.fretsore.com https://www.facebook.com/steve.lindsey.9400
