Singles

Pete Lawrie - How Could I Complain? EP

TC 02/04/2010

Rating: 4/5

Pete Lawrie has a voice like gravel in treacle! Remember the guy from Gomez? (sorry how rude, his name is Ian Ball and the band are still going apparently), well that's the style of Lawrie too; a soulful '40-a-day' snarl. This then is a four-track EP that exemplifies one talented individual, with some very diverse material and, aside from the power of his vocals, four well constructed musical pieces.

First up is the title track, which swaggers along with a skiffle beat and a groove deep enough to lose yourself in, and is getting its fair share of XFM airplay right now. Next up is 'Panic', with another infectious beat, this time somewhat more tribal yet grimy and earthy. The pace drops for the second half and 'Paperthin' is a beautiful, spacious number, almost dreamy, with piano and strings used to excellent effect. Final track 'Jimmy And The Birds On Fire' is even more stripped down and conjures up images of a smoky late night Chicago bar, and a Tom Waits analogy is hard to resist.

A top set of tunes solidly performed, suggesting that Mr.Lawrie might well attain the longevity of Mr.Ball, maybe with a greater level of fortune that, frankly, both of them deserve!

Release Date: Out Now



Pete Lawrie- How Could I Complain?