Greg Holden - Chase the Sun

Greg Holden

Chase The Sun

(Warner Bros. Records)

Now here is a guy with what I would call a gentle forcefulness. His lyrics are very important to him and from a long chat at Warners London HQ (which we shall be running on the site) he is not styling himself to have mass appeal or compromising himself on the music he wants to make. Originally from Scotland but now NY-based, Holden creates music with acoustic guitar and voice but also has a band for some performances. Some good support slots have put wheels under his songs and garnered him some attention.

Lead cut ‘ Hold On Tight’ has a yearning feel, not unlike a young Leo Sayer. When the band kicks in the song is energised. It’s a paean to personal development and ultimately optimistic. This is the land of the tuneful chorus, as pioneered in The Brill Building and used since by the likes of Tears For Fears and moreover Big Country.

Thankfully Greg’s voice is not like the whining Sam Smith or grating James Bay. Its melodic qualities are tempered with a light sandpapering and many songs are in the same vocal range as Bryan Adams. Now Adams has stayed mainly rock’n’roll but has huge mainstream appeal and with the right breaks, this cat is likely headed for that kind of status. Third cut ‘Bulletproof’ has a neo-psych ambience and firms up into a solid mid-tempo piece not a huge distance from George Harrison in mood, The lyric is somewhat bitter in words but ultimately an encouragement to get through life’s emotional landslides. Hint of mandolin here and there.

‘Boys In The Street’ has already and to the artist’s satisfaction been taken up by beleaguered loners and sufferers of prejudice and uses a contemplative Leonard Cohen tempo. Light orchestration complements the song. It’s haunting, delicate and strong without being shouty. It describes pain in a place (maybe the only place) this listener hasn’t been to or endured, but heartfelt emotion this well painted cannot fail to be affecting. The mood lifts with the easy-paced ‘Give It Away’ which concerns the human conscience and is infernally catchy. Like much of the collection, that folk-rock strumming feel is the heart of the song. Does cry out for a Salvation Army brass finale though, Greg! If you like songs such as ‘She Wears It Well’ this is worth a listen.

‘Go Chase The Sun’ is piano-based and a bit McCartney for this scribe ; but ‘Free Again’ is a fine example of this bloke putting a tune over with melody and force and a punch-the–air vibe. The soft balladry of ‘A Wonderful World’ is beautifully handled and still includes acidic lines..he can’t help himself !

‘I Won’t Forget’ has a stealthy tread but the grim tale cannot be masked by the light-touch delivery. I reckon this is the album’s key track and steers one to the essence of what Holden is doing. As John Lee Hooker opined – ‘Blues Is A Healer’. That spirit is reflected here. Closer ‘The Next Life’ uses a trad country progression but with another tongue-in-cheek lyric. Can a song be darkly upbeat? The female vocalist sounds really good here. Garrison Starr the co-writer, I guess.

Fresh folk-rock that folk ought to hear.