Ian Roland
Album: How That Dust Jumps
Label: Self Released
Tracks: 8
Website: http://www.ianroland.com

Released in April 2015, 'How That Dust Jumps' features eight original songs, superbly written and co-produced by Roland himself, spanning the worlds of folk, country, pop and beautifully reminiscent of seventies folk rock.

Lyrically, the opening track 'Heal My Heart' sets the tone for the rest of the album, Roland sings of his own experiences and reactions to them, making for an accessible collection of songs that will speak volumes to anyone who has loved and lost. 'Can we make it real by thinking so? Can we make it real by not letting go?' thoughts that inevitably flit through each of our minds throughout our lives. These words set against a melody tinged with sadness, creates a very moving piece of work. The title track follows suit with strong hooks but instead describes a definite message of hope, conveyed through quirky, matter of fact lyrics that feel very familiar on a first listen, undoubtedly a great choice for the title track.

In particular, The songs 'Hope' and 'Outside' have a way of transporting the listener to a different time gone by through the use of Roland's signature 12-string, a fiddle (Simon Yapp) understated drums (Lee Bridges) keeping the groove ticking over nicely, pushing each song on with gentle ease.

Roland's second release closes with the upbeat 'Together', a welcome tempo and mood change that cleverly rounds the album up on a skiffle based high, with a particularly catchy hook that will linger with you for hours. Seek out this Brighton based singer-songwriter for lyrics you can easily identify with, and songs that define the word earworm.

R. Scutt