Most of the twelve songs on this debut album are of the 'should I stay or should I go' variety. Dan Wilde asks for a ride home but doesn't really want to leave (Nearest I Have To A Home), he leaves someone then feels heartbroken and alone (Broke My Heart Alright / Unkind) and he sings "I once thought I didn't need you / Now I know I do" (Nowhere). You half expect to encounter a song called 'Procrastination Blues'.
It is fair to say that he is a little confused about what he wants and who he wants to be with. He's a bit of a ladies man who has wearied of the love 'em and leave 'em philosophy. "I've been trying to spend some time making sense of what's inside" he sings on What I Know, and asks "How will I know what's real?" with a hint of desperation (How Will I Know). On the basis of this collection he is no nearer finding the answer to this question.
The melodies are strong and Wilde has a pleasant, though not especially memorable voice. On Opened My Eyes he sounds a bit like Mike Scott of The Waterboys although this is perhaps also because of Richard Curran's lively violin playing on this track. Aside from Wilde on acoustic guitar, Curran is the most significant instrumental contribution to the record - he also plays viola and mandolin.
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Wilde is from Blackpool now based in Cambridge, something that surprised me as I was sure I detected an Irish lilt to his voice.
These are all original songs but on You Tube you will find videos of Wilde singing songs by Richard Thompson, Bob Dylan, Josh Ritter and Suzanne Vega.
His choice of covers shows that he is fixated on songs of love and loss, romantic themes that dominate this album to the point of being repetitive.
Dan Wilde's Website
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