Some stuff that is not about the album. I was introduced to Bobbo via the Riddle and the Stars album sent to me via that great Swedish distribution outfit Hemifran, then I went on to get stuff from the Fallen Stars and then a whole lotta music from his every growing catalogue of solo recordings. I became a gold plated eternal fan when catching a Fallen Stars online live set, and they did a version of ‘’The Ballad Of Jane’’ from the cult TV show Firefly.

Why am I telling you this, gentle (but growing impatient) reader. Well because I am a fan, I tend to hold the artist to a higher standard, than I would perhaps have to lesser mortal musicians… Life and music criticism can be cruel that way.

Mr Byrnes has never let me down. On with the show, (the audience growing restless heave a loud collective sigh of relief.)

The collection kicks off with ‘’Around Here’’ which I like to call, ‘welcome to my contradiction’ the push and pull of family, hometown, the need to escape, the desire to stay just a little bit longer,  in spite of the knowledge things will not really change.  This is all said in a deceptively simple easy flowing way that factors in the listeners intelligence, and refuses to spell it out for them. This is a chart song in waiting, taking in something that is half Tom Petty, half Wilco and all Byrnes. Love the arrangement in this, the organ, and barely there yet so effective harmony vox.

In ‘’ I Cannot Stay’’ we go widescreen, but let it be said, its widescreen that somehow manages to be intimate, that is for just one listener in an otherwise empty theatre. This one really gets under the skin, and I have found it’s the perfect song to listen to, on an mp3 player, alone with your thoughts, in a crowd.

I am sure, someone, anyone, took a picture of me doing just that, huge busy train station, during rush hour, the only soul just standing, not rushing anywhere.

‘’Long Way Down’’ evokes the Go-Betweens, and/or The Triffids, something I have noticed about this set in particular, it seems to come out at you from everywhere on earth, and also straddles decades with ease, but no retro rubbish here, the nostalgia feels earned, hard fought for even.

‘’Plain Street’’ is almost pure country, but as if George Or Paul, those Liverpool boys, were young adults in the Brit Pop era, and Elvis (the Costello one not the Vegas one) had come in to jam.

By the time we get to the halfway mark and ‘’Never Learned To Fly’’ we start to realize that a lot of the power here is woven into the songs via the dreamlike yearning of Byrnes vocals, we find him at his most fragile, most thoughtful and weirdly most in control

A rather delightful curveball hits our senses, in ‘’Too Many Miles’’ where we are transplanted into the ‘Big Pink’ of The Band (with Danko on vocals) this tune is plaintive, soulful and just beautiful. So when are you releasing YOUR Basement Tapes Bobbo?

‘’Bad Decisions’ is a bar brawl with a twist, and there is this 60s meets new wave mix going on here, that brings a smile to the proceedings, there is even a hint of kinda dad rock of, say, The Hold Steady. No bad thing at all

‘’Some Salvation’’ was, for a while, the title of this collection, though I can understand why ‘self titled’ (lower case) works really well.  The former headline tune is a duet (with Tracy Byrnes) and is waiting to be heard in a Rom-Com near you, although the words are sadder than you expect.

Its back to the 70’s for the power ballad ‘’ Glad & Sorry’’ Linda Ronstadt should cover this, then onto ‘’ Chance’’ one of my fave tunes here.  This most modern sounding track is an epic builder of emotional tension, a journey to the stars if you will. This has to be played loud, as we are caught up in the storm and we are left breathless.

‘Chance’ doesn’t fade but floats into the final song ‘’Not Lost’’ taking this tense form of serenity to the next level. This is Kate Bush ‘Breathing’ level full immersion stuff and the only possible way this could end.

You can hear the album here: https://open.spotify.com/album/7K36YtJXLhIUMx2Lw1i05T?si=Z2R5YgEMQIaNluM-BlwQRw

And you can buy it on Bandcamp here

https://bobbobyrnes.bandcamp.com/album/self-titled