Album Notes

This album is a great mix of styles, easing the listener from a piano ballad to a night club throb, from a spaced out echoing mind-warp to an acoustic strum and sing-along.

Despite there being extremes of loud and quiet stuff on the record, the music has an overall vibe and feel that doesn't rough the listener around too much. It helps the them along with catchy melodies and an economic approach to song arrangement.

The vocals are recorded in an up-front style, like the instruments. It's not all flooded with reverb and hiding in bizarre mixes. It's very true about what it is. There are phases of heavily layered vocal in places to create the backing and harmonies, which is designed to add warmth and intimacy to the overall feel.

There is some studio trickery and intricacy in the production, but this is only where the song is served by it. "Like Magic" is just piano and voice, while "Is The Devil Me?" boasts a massive array of drum loops and instrumentation.

A very important aspect to the album is the lyrics (included in full in the plush CD inlay!). They are honest, but in a way that (hopefully) most people can relate to. They are just real songs about real people, things and feelings.

Despite the title, the album is mainly positive and hopeful in tone. When it does sucumb to melancoly, cos life isn't all smiles, it does not do so over-indulgently!
Enjoy!