David Newey
Album: Work To Rule
Label: Furrow
Tracks: 10
Website: http://www.davidnewey.com

Though currently to be seen on stage with the Tom McConville Band, David (a finalist in 2003's BBC Young Folk Awards) is not only a massively talented guitarist and constantly in-demand producer and engineer, but also a brilliant songwriter in his own right, as his two previous albums A List Of Names and Cities And Power very clearly demonstrated. Intelligent songs with a keen political conscience are his trademark, performed in a distinctive, forthright and involving vocal style that on occasions contains echoes of both Elvis Costello and Dylan (and even sometimes Randy Newman).

Work To Rule continues much in that approved vein, and while breaking no new ground, it still delivers, satisfies and challenges with its ten newly-penned commentaries on key topics ranging from social injustice (All The Way Down) to our lottery culture (The Lucky One). David's compositions tend also to share with the best songwriters (Richard Thompson being a prime influence I detect, but there are also hints of Chris Wood and the aforementioned Costello and Dylan) a space for the listener to pause for thought and reflect rather than be "preached at", as evidenced on the more elusively anthemic Stand Sure You Shall, which contains extra layers of meaning that initial acquaintance may not suspect. Proof positive that "these songs are not a waste of time", indeed.

The confidence in the lyrics is mirrored by the thrilling impact of the music, for the sound of the album is worlds away from the familiar, often overly diffident singer-songwriter ambit; instead it's bold, upfront and punchy and much more like a rock album - and all the better for it. Here David gives us a supremely full yet intricately detailed dynamic backdrop, with especially strong contributions from Shona Kipling (accordion), Sean Taylor (basses) and Will Schrimshaw (drums) - naturally, David plays the rest of the instrumental parts himself (and damnably well too).

There are some lovely touches within the carefully coordinated arrangements, like the tex-mex accordion styling and mando fills on the surprisingly affectionate Blackpool and the tumbling acoustic guitar runs on No-One Lives Here Anymore; in contrast to the delicacy of his acoustic playing here and on such numbers as What It Is, David gives his all for a cathartic, killer electric guitar solo on Storm Warning. Work To Rule is a tough and intensely powerful set that is sure to impress.

David Kidman