Robinson “England’s Bleeding” (Palawan, 2009)

Impressive debut from English singer-songwriter

As debut albums go, Andy Robinson’s is a pretty impressive piece of work. Very much a slice of his life, it’s one part frustration to two parts happiness. Opening song “Forget About It All” starts “I’ve got to work to feed my belly/but I don’t want to work just to buy a bigger telly,” a theme he develops on “That’s All I Really Want” where in rampant fashion he declaims “I want a place by the sea with a record player and an old beaten up guitar/with a pub down the road just to stumble back home” and who, including this reviewer, could not empathise with that?

Despite not quite being where he wants to be yet he finds happiness and joy in his current situation, helped one suspects in large part by his refreshing, even at times naive belief in the goodness and kindness of the world. “Always talk to strangers/because they’re all as lonely as you” he offers, a sentiment to sit alongside the small pleasures of “Sunshine When it Rains.” Robinson plays in the style of the busker he has been in the past, without artifice or pretence, and his plaintive and soulful voice, generally accompanied solely by his acoustic guitar warps itself around his melodies like a particular comfortable blanket. A real new talent, and one to seek out forthwith.

Date review added:  Sunday, February 07, 2010
Reviewer:  Jeremy Searle
Reviewers Rating:
Related web link:  Artist MySpace site