Dan Raza
Album: Dan Raza
Label: Auralee
Tracks: 10
Website: http://www.danraza.com

Having enjoyed the endorsement of Neil Young and the patronage of Mary Gauthier, Badly Drawn Boy and Chris Farlowe among others, Dan Raza is slowly but surely making his presence felt and this debut album shows why. In its handful of songs he asks as many questions as he answers, recognising the need for enigma as well as explanation.

Produced by Ronnie Lane's Slim Chance cohort Charlie Hart and featuring guest turns from Steve Simpson, BJ Cole and Geraint Watkins, Raza never sounds overwhelmed by such seasoned talents who generously create the space for his sometimes fragile songs to shine.

He's as happy telling stories in his lyrics as he is painting abstract pictures, employing a series of high times clichés to propel the rollicking Cool Dark Night and invoking the chops of on R Zimmerman in No-One Shed a Tear, but opening what one suspects might be more personal couplets to relate the feeling in Home, Again - the story of a young man returning to his home town. It's a theme he returns to again on the album's closing track Can't Go Back, in which griot master Mosi Conde adds yet more texture.

Nick Churchill
www.thegranvillechambers.co.uk