Dare to mention white boys attempting to peddle soul and usually dopes like Deacon Blue spring to mind, but tough, gritty Leeds-born singer/ songwriter ROB REYNOLDS is one of the few credible exceptions to this line of thinking and "Sightseeing" - his third album - is one of the few polished, modern-day records of this type your reviewer has heard in recent times without feeling compelled to run to the hills.
Admittedly, Reynolds is in possession of a handy address book and has assembled a fine band to ensure his vision takes flight, with the likes of Massive Attack drummer Carlos Hercules, bassist Carl Holt (Archive) and ex-PIL/ Manics keyboard player Richard Cottle all making telling contributions as the album unfolds. This tightly-meshed unit provide the efficient, gutsy funk that underpins tracks like the sultry, celebratory single "Sweet Mother", "Bring Me Water" and the cautionary, booze-addled "Sherry Man" and prove themselves to be equally effective when the mood is downbeat'n'tender like on the restrained "Heaven Knows."
Yet, despite his cohorts sympathetic input, Reynolds very much calls the shots. Musically, he's clearly a talented, expressive guitarist as the driving, modern-day Free-style moves of "Bring Me Down" and the strutting, energised, stress-related "Pressure" demonstrate. But it's his fiery, impassioned vocal delivery that really cuts through, whether he's injecting some Paul Weller-style vitriol to tunes like "Sherry Man" or favourably recalling Stevie Winwood on the swirly, big-budget ballad "Change My World" and the somnolent, Traffic-style premise of "Dream Song."
Occasionally, the radio-friendly nature of some of the material nudges a little too close to MOR territory for comfort. Despite that notable vocal input, "Change My World" ultimately tries too hard to wring every ounce of passion out of its' 'terjerker' status, while "Upon The River", especially, may slip down easily enough, but also conjures worrying images of Mick Hucknall. Not something to countenance at the best of times.
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Fortunately, Reynolds reins these tendencies in for the most part, and "Sightseeing" also harbours a few glimpses of acoustic brilliance, such as the resigned "Loving Arms"- where Rob duets with himself on a moving, end-of-the-affair blues - and the closing "Don't You Ever Dream", where Reynolds yearns for something better ("well, I'm sitting on this sofa, waiting for Utopia to come") with just Michael Bramwell's tremulous piano for company. This minimalism is a welcome antidote to some of the ear candy that comes with the big production numbers and suggests Reynolds could well be excellent should you catch him performing in an intimate, acoustic setting instead.
So if you're unfamiliar with Rob Reynolds, then this is as good a place as any to start. Grab a day tourer ticket, make yourself comfortable and enjoy some memorable views as you go "Sightseeing" with him. You may well find you'd like to repeat the experience.
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