Here's the son of English folk-rock icons Richard & Linda Thompson. This guy got some good genes: he plays guitar and sings pretty well. His voice has a rockabilly twang like Marshall Crenshaw or like fellow Brits Nick Lowe and Dave Edmonds. Sometimes there's a bit more country (Chris Isaak) or pop (Roy Orbison).

There's uneven songwriting here: some of the songs are very good, some not so good. (But I guess it’s the same on any album.) We've got a string section that’s sometimes nice, but sometimes way overdone.

Net: the guy’s got talent; songs are up & down; record is over arranged & over produced. Definitely worth listening to though.

Song #4 is an FCC no go.

1. ** Mid-tempo country-rocker gives CD a strong start. Cute lyrics; good vocal. (3:23)
2. * Big fat slow dance. Super vocal. Strings add sweetness. Sappy, but kinda good. (3:28)
3. ** Sad lyric; happy sound. Another strong vocal. Uptempo & upbeat. (3:25)
4. FCC warning: “I shit on myself…” It’s not a particularly good song anyhow.
5. * Sings high like Chris Isaak. Big “Marlboro-country” orchestral finish is cool. (4:10)
6. * Pop meets country! Imagine a Roy Orbison - Dolly Parton duet. (3:26)
7. Melancholy atmosphere. Anti-utopian view of home life. Low strings (cello, viola) and clarinet solo are good on this one. (4:06)
8. ** Mid-tempo pop-rock. Elec guitar gives this one more punch than others. Good vocal performance too. Twangy pop. (RIYL Marshall Crenshaw) (3:48)
9. Sad break-up song. Strings ooze sappy schmaltz. Yuck. (3:17)
10. Fun, silly 60s pop. (RIYL Monkees. Really.) Not awful, but others are better. (2:48)
11. Odd ending to the CD. Strings WAY overdone. Accompanying Barbra Streisand? (3:21)