Reviewed on 6th July 2006.

Lookout Posts and Telescopes

By Lewis Denby

Serial miserablist Lewis Denby follows up last year's solo debut with a stripped back acoustic collection of new material. There is no doubting Mr Denby needs a hug, the angst weeps out all over the speakers and if you're not in equal need of a cuddle then this will provide little empathy for your mood. There are signs that Denby is starting to crack the formula that works for him, not least with gentle string accompaniment to acoustic emo ballad "Wonder". It should not be under-estimated what a tough task that Denby has set himself. Solo work can be the hardest without the reflection of others and there is still some way to climb on the learning curve. For the most part good ideas pop-up momentarily before getting lost again in some fairly naïve teenage rambling with chords that when put together sound suitably bleak and upsetting. Whether Denby hears it or not the most likely comparisons are to the likes of James Blunt, but what is lacking here is a pop sensibility to provide a back bone to the emotion being poured out.

www.lewisdenby.co.uk

Comments

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On 16th July 2006 at 14:54 Anonymous 5575 wrote...

Again, why do people who clearly have no love for the genre of a given artist review them? Surely a worthy review needs to come from someone who is fond of a given genre? They will be better placed to judge the quality, surely? You wouldn't ask Terry Wogan to review Nerve Engine, now would you?

This is just another one of those reviews where it seems the reveiwer just wants to sound clever, and actually just comes across as plain rude.

And Lewis is one of the cheeriest people i know, by the way....

On 16th July 2006 at 15:41 Dave LMS wrote...

Scott, I think if you look through the hundreds of reviews Rick has written over the years he has shown a knowledge of a wide range of genre. I agree with the sentiment but the practicalities are such I must disagree with the 'must be in love with the genre' view. And how narrow does that become? To each sub genre? Etc. I wouldn't call Lewis particularly specialist listening (no offence Lewis).

I disagree, especially for two reasons ... a) given the finite and small number of reviewers a publication has access to and b) I'd have said Lewis falls clearly in Rick's 'domain' anyway.

On 2nd October 2006 at 20:08 Anonymous 6038 wrote...

Wonderfully, I only just found these comments.

To be fair, Richard's spot on in his argument, whether you agree with it or not. One thing that amused me throughout the whole review process was that lyrically, everyone seemed to miss the point. 'Next Year' was the miserable album, but with one or two notable exceptions 'Lookout Posts...' is pretty optimistic. 'Sall good.

Anyway, I'll stick with my "genius" quote from Sandman ;)