Sunjay
Album: Sunjay
Label: New Mountain Music
Tracks: 10
Website: http://www.sunjay.tv

Following up on last year's debut live release, 'One Night Only', Sunjay joins the ever increasing band of young artists filling the acoustic, folk and roots field. Where his debut had him playing solo with the occasional accompaniment of producer Eddy Morton's mandolin, the new record sees the instrumentation ever so slightly filled out.

Still focussed on Sunjay's vocal and subtly impressive guitar, the album also boasts equally and shrewdly placed contributions from the likes of Dan Walsh, Kat Gilmore, Dan Owen and engineer/producer/co-arranger Eddy Morton. As with the debut album, the influences are wide and varied as are the songwriting credits. There's a return to the first album with studio takes on Mark Knopfler's 'Sailing To Philadelphia' and 'Sittin' On Top Of The World' but for once lacking attempts at any traditional songs, it's a more contemporary collection.

In fact, it's Morton's own gently paced yet melodic and brooding 'London Road' which opens the album before leading into a comforting bluesy blast of 'Drop Down Mama' - it's rustic lo fi arrangement and enthusiasm reflecting the sheer enjoyment in the project. Dan Walsh's percussive banjo notes and Kat Gilmore's fiddle and backing vocals accompanying the repetitive guitar figure on 'Going Down The Road' shows how effective a small contribution from the big guns can make. Despite garnering his reputation as solo act, the studio additions and certainly go to make a more fulfilling experience and give added depth to the material.

The songbooks of Tom Rush, John Hiatt and in particular James Taylor (with 'Close Your Eyes') are mined in the way Sunjay likes to cherry pick from some classic songwriters, and with such quality songwriting it's hard to fail. The deliveries are faithful and respectful yet given his own interpretation. Where doesn't the formula work - well, maybe the sentiment of 'A Folk Singer Earns Every Dime' has a sound sentiment with some amusing lyrical references ("it's hard living off rhythm and rhyme"; "wherever there's trouble a folksinger sings") and stories of cheap hotels with no Sky, yet delivered acapella against a simple beat as an album closer feels like Sunjay isn't convinced and therefore slightly out of place.

Having said that, it's a small nit pick and there's an extensive tour in which to see Sunjay in his natural environment of playing live. The album gives a reference point of where he is at this particular time and with a new nomination in the British Blues Awards 'Young Artist' category, listen, watch and take note.

Mike Ainscoe