Gideon Conn‘s back!
“Well where did he go,” I hear you cry?
Well he never quite made it with his first album and that my friends is… Well it’s a shame or… Maybe not. The guy is one of the most talented UK musicians around today but written hype here doesn’t mean a lot of people won’t find him annoying. He played one of those gigs in Chorlton, Manchester in 2006 that has stuck with me ever since. Oblivious to the fact he was a local scene star, a newspaper I was on work experience with asked me to cover the show after some promoters had phoned the office. The gig was brilliant and I’ve followed the man’s progress since.
Gideon is one of those outrageously gifted people (he’s also an incredible artist) and is one of Lancashire’s greatest kept secrets. With Everything Everything and Dutch Uncles currently leading the charge from Britain’s first industrial city it could be right about time Conn joined them.
Tokoyo is a cheesy first song on Take It All. Not cheesy gushy in a bad way, in a cheery “I’m so talented, I don’t care” way. It’s a love song for the love song lovers. Following this I Need You In My Life is where the album starts to showcase Gideon’s rapping ability. You can tell it will be superb to hear live. Single Read The Signs is a melancholic look at a relationship gone wrong in old age and it is a highlight. The album is annoying in itself as the initial listening is great as he is different to a lot of what is out there right now but it has been a struggle to review. Deepening on mood, Gideon Conn has the ability to make you happy or piss you off with tacky tunes. Stand out track on the record is actually written for someone else to sing. Colours is sang by a lady called Josephine and it is a track the soulful Odetta would be proud of.
Memorable songs from the first record as good as Eccentric and Want You Around maybe missing, however seeing these latest offerings performed should give them a better slant. It’s only the second album after all. Keep going Gideon!
[Rating:3.5]
