| New Musical Express |
| Daniel Keynes |
|
1-14 July 1989 |
| With this sophomore effort, Ryan strays somewhat from the heartfelt poetic balladeering of his first record, and veers into a slightly more abstract vein, without really losing his trademark critical edge. Those simple catchy guitar tunes have now been given somewhat of a surreal (almost angelic) twist, by the inventive use of traditional Nordic joik singing. However, instead of sounding incongruous, these curious incantations seem to complement Ryan's rough vocals and his distinct acoustic guitar sound. With the addition of former Petit Blanc lead guitarist Jud, the album is also given a much needed boost. Where the record falls down is in its repetitiveness. No one track really stands out and as such the album ends up leaving the listener neither inspired or otherwise at its close. So, at the end of the day, this is a solid if not entirely spectacular album and with some work, Ryan might yet prove himself to be more than a flash in the pan. 3/5 |