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A founding member of the iconic Britpop band Ocean Colour Scene and guitarist for Paul Weller since 1992, the Solihull native has long been regarded as one of Britain's most talented musicians and a part of the country's musical heritage. The affection and knowledge for his craft amassed over the years are truly tangible on the latest thoughtfully constructed 13-track album. The record radiates relevant retro as a 21st century ode to Sixties psychedelia. From the get go, dreamy opener "Any Way The Wind Blows" immerses us in an exploration of sounds in the best of British musical tradition. Steve's skilled song writing and expert multi-instrumentalism are evident on tracks such as "Sheer Inertia" and "Travel Wild - Travel Free". This record is a true labour of love from a man who clearly knows how to write and use catchy hooks, hip vibes and lush melodies.
Steve Cradock is known for his band Ocean Color Scene's mid 90s success but to many he is Paul Weller's longtime stalwart guitarist- always performing at the highest level for the modfather's many solo outings and performances. His earlier solo albums always were charming and solid efforts much like OCS's output but never truly great enough to step out of the shadow of Wellers masterful songwriting and abilities. However this release is simply a revelation and in my eyes surpasses Cradocks works up to this moment.Clearly taking and following the late 60s psychedelic blueprint to a nostalgic conclusion Cradock has managed to make a modern classic of a time passed but not forgotten. Lots of chimey acoustic tones backwards guitar lines and vintage mellotron sounding arrangements are mixed with a retro treated vocal- I can hear traces of the byrds and the moody blues as well as the pretty things and beatles all mixed in a heartfelt nod to summery vibes and idealistic notions. Its performed so well that some may find its almost too much an attempt to merely try to mimic those works by late 60s uk bands but Cradock personalizes and updates the songs just enough to make them his own. A really standout point is the album works as a whole more then just a collection of some catchy singles- I seldom get the urge to skip a song and the whole album seems to hit the mark as an entire piece,Perhaps Weller should look to Cradock when his well runs dry or when he needs a different vibe- judging by this album Cradock can more then meet the demand.