My pal Ali Mackenzie (the greatest bass player in Ireland, in my view) has four albums coming out in the next couple of months – his second solo album ‘Sanctuary Wood’ (mostly instrumental, some surprisingly fun vocal numbers); a second album with the Mighty Mojos (an occasional blues 4-piece in which he is a sideman); a Legends of Tomorrow album (me and a cast of many, always including Ali); and a first album with a collaborative trio called Ragbone.
Ali played me the album on a drive back from a gig we attended recently and I was knocked out. It’s not really my thing on paper – being reminiscent, broadly, of late 70s US melodic rock (Tom Petty, F Mac etc.) but something about it was compelling. It’s fabulously mixed by Victor Bronzini-Fulton and the arrangements throughout are layered and inventive – and the playing is fabulous, but kept within a concise pop/rock form (no overlong jams).
Only one track is ‘out there’ currently, called ‘Sunday Night’, and as it’s Sunday night, this seems a good time to share it. 🙂