Roger Davies
Album: Local Radio
Label: Self Released
Tracks: 10
Website: http://www.rogerdaviesmusic.com

Roger's unquestionably one of Yorkshire's most-loved - and yet entirely unpretentious - contemporary songwriters, not least in that his work is thoroughly engaging and captures the popular imagination as well as satisfying the criteria of classic, timeless folk songwriting, with relevant and recognisable themes couched in memorable imagery that possesses a unique local flavour. So simple, so unassuming - it almost feels like anyone could do it, easy! That is, until you try to emulate his craft; but only then do you realise how much of an art it is. But this is art concealing art. And no matter how many times you see and hear Roger, just the lad with his guitar, he never sounds sparse or undernourished; that distinctive voice and deceptively straightforward backing is all he ever needs, for no extraneous arrangement or fussy detail is necessary to put his messages across.

Local Radio is Roger's sixth album, and at the risk of sounding predictable I think I can safely say that in many respects it's more of the same - both special and distinctive, thoroughly homegrown, a set of well-crafted songs which for the most part proudly and unashamedly chronicle and celebrate in typical Roger Davies fashion aspects of life in his own native West Yorkshire. From Bradford Born 'n' Raised (which, like its "metropolitan authority", roves from Laisterdyke to Saltaire), moving on across to Emley Moor opening up its panorama of resonances and personal associations, then supping a welcome pint at The Old Ship Inn (another in Roger's ongoing series of songs depicting drinking on a Saturday night in Brighouse). These all form classic examples of Roger's dictum "write about what you know", which is the best advice to any aspiring songwriter!

A good majority of Local Radio's ten tracks are already familiar to us; the Tour De France tribute Le Grand Départ and the sincere Wear Your Poppy With Pride have already appeared as singles, while James Dean gives a fresh spin on a 2002-vintage song from the Littletown album. But listen further in, and you'll find tucked in between these well-loved landmarks the charming little gem Georgina (which arguably has something of the demeanour of an early Richard Thompson opus).

Interestingly, two of the very finest songs on this new record are positioned last: the achingly personal insights of Hard To Believe It are succeeded by close-down-the-night encore-anthem One More Song. Against which, I'll admit I find the CD's opening cut the least promising entry in the contest: this being the more generalised reminiscence of Raised On Rock'n'Roll, which, being less locally-focused and perhaps even a little hackneyed in its references, is altogether less satisfying. But as a whole, this latest collection contains much that can be considered among Roger's best. My only real gripe is that I find much of the booklet text incredibly difficult to read, even close up, due to its overprinting of red-coloured words on a partially grey photographic background.

David Kidman