Although W&H would be the first to champion the DIY Punk ethic surrounding the MySpace culture we live in, the downside is there's a staggering weight of would-be contenders slugging it out in Cyberspace these days.
Accordingly, the sheer volume of unsigned acts ensures that it's difficult to sift the diamonds from the dirt at the best of times. What should amount to muddy demos can be heralded as lo-fi genius in some quarters and we can all get rather 'indier than thou' about it if we're not careful.
Thankfully, there are still the exceptions where 'unsigned' and 'self-released' still equate with burgeoning talent quietly coming through the ranks with something like longevity in mind. And WILL RICHARDS seems to fall into this category.
Even the title 'Ready To Talk Now' suggests a honing of talent and a presentation of a completed product and indeed, that's pretty much what we get. Will Richards may not (as yet) come with corporate backing, but on the basis of these nine songs he's got the ability to take this to a higher level.
With Richards playing most of the instruments himself, 'Ready To Talk Now' was laid down at Diamond Studios in the author's home town of Wakefield, West Yorkshire. Despite this approach, a convincing, full-band sound cuts through on most of the tunes and talented cohorts such as multi-instrumentalist Ric Neale, slide guitarist Mike Poole and backing vocalist Jill Birtwhistle add further crucial touches.
Operating broadly within the parameters of well-crafted (Brit)pop, the songs peopling 'Ready To Talk Now' aren't hugely original, but they are performed with commitment and heart and there's certainly a winning melodic streak at work throughout. Songs like lush opener 'Be A Better Man' and the rousing, string-driven 'Good As Gold' recall the likes of Richard Ashcroft and the under-rated Chris Helme, but there's enough of Richards in there to make them stand on their own. Jill Birtwhistle's excellent backing vocals add a Gospel-style edge to tunes like 'Be A Better Man' and 'I Didn't Want to Kill Them' and with the musical backdrops also taking in Charlatans-style grooves ('The Colour Of Money') and piano-led Beatloid pop ('Ready To Talk Now') Will's got most of his bases covered admirably.
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It doesn't all come off, mind. 'Sweet & Lonely Lullabies' tries a little too hard to instil funkiness and swagger and ends up sounding too far too forced, although the Beck-meets-Happy Mondays-style Delta groove of 'Travel Sick' hits the back of the net and would be a good bet as a single.His trump card is saving the best for last courtesy of 'She's In Love With Me': the one place where Will gives in to his darkly romantic side and sets up a graceful and dreamy post-script of the sort The Last Shadow Puppets excel at. It's a reminder that a great song will always win out regardless of time and place and it ensures the album leaves you on a high.
It's early days for Will Richards. His track record already features spots on the BBC's raw talent and gigs are being pencilled in. Consolidation should be the order of the day, because 'Ready To Talk Now' suggests wider lines of communication could be opening in the near-ish future.
(http://www.myspace.com/willrichards)
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