Darren Black
Album: Rise Above The Mumblings
Label: Self Released
Tracks: 10
Website: http://www.darrenblack.net

I first came across Darren Black when Black Peak, the duo he formed with fiddler Deborah Peake, released their debut album, "In Times Back When", back in 2011, an album that saw them nominated for the Spiral Earth, best debut award. I was aware that when he joined that duo, he'd already released a number of solo albums.

"Rise Above The Mumblings" is the first solo album I've had the chance to review, now that Darren is back on the solo trail and I have to say that it really does mark him as a songwriter that has a real sense of melody as well as narrative.

It's not a whizz bang of an album, it is a little too mellow for that, rather it's one of those subtle albums that impinges on your consciousness, even if you are not actively listening to it, it makes sure that you're drawn to it and stops you from doing what you were doing so you might as well accept that, make yourself a cup of your favourite beverage and kick back and indulge yourself.

You'll notice the sweet simplicity of the album, just Darren singing his songs, self accompanying on his guitar, then what he's bringing into it, for example, "Ripe For The Heart" draws in a classic biblical reference that helps to give the whole a greater depth, it's not just about adoration, it's more thought out, more considered than that.

There were times I missed the additional fiddle, but that's because it's one of my references on his work, coming to Darren for the first time, it really is easy to recognise what he's achieved in thge sound without that additional adornment to the sound.

"Rise Above The Mumbling" is an album that rises because it brings the mumbling down rather than trying to muscle in. It's an album that's made me look out for his earlier recordings, though I think I'm right in thinking the last solo album, "Thinks And Fools" was back in 2008. Darren seems as happy writing social songs as he is personal ones and that always leads to an album that has a lot going for it, all of which provides an album that's easy to recommend.

Neil King