Reviews
Artist:Duncan Reed Album: The Road Part 2
Label: Self Released
Tracks: 10
Website: https://www.facebook.com/Duncanreedmusic
Duncan Reed's first volume of the Road was released in February 2021. A move to Scotland and other life priorities have delayed part 2 until now. On opening song Coming Home there is a decided Scottish feel. An epic tune based around acoustic guitar but with lap steel and electric guitar adding to the mix to give a misty feel to the tune.
The Cajon beat of The Road drives the mostly electric tune along. The lyrics suggest a trip along any one of Scotland's open roads "Clouds form up ahead Just around the bend Watch the turning of the tides Where the road becomes alive. I will find another one Drive into the setting sun I won't find a better home tonight."
Reed describes himself as alternative rock and grunge. That is best highlighted on Howl which could have come out of mid 90s Seattle. Fire is another distinctively Scottish song, mixing in Big Country style anthemic with his grunge influences. This is marriage of styles that works surprisingly well and gives Reed a very individual approach to his material.
There are no bad songs on The Road Part 2, but he has saved some of the best to the back half of the album. Dreaming and Rewind especially. The latter has some of his best lyrics. "Frozen embers of a flame. And the night it comes too soon. Feel the chill against the pane. We are only passing through. Rewind."
Traveller is a more acoustic song, and drifts towards Runrig territory, which is no bad thing. The most pop song on the album is Tonight with jangly guitars and a Beatles backbeat. A good single which would hopefully attract some airplay. Reflection is as close to a true folk song as Reed gets. The epic quality of his other songs remains with Matt Steady's strings providing a great coda to an album of varied tunes tied together by Reed's voice which suits his songs perfectly. Having heard this I will be going back to sample the Road Part 1.
Reed is donating royalties from The Road part 2 to the Beaver Trust to aid their work in restoring beavers to regenerate our landscapes and make them more resilient to climate change. The music is reason enough to buy this album, but a worthwhile cause very much at home in Scotland make sit doubly so.
Tim Martin
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