Jamie Webster—Running Round The Sun

I don't know if Jamie Webster has ever heard of Gordon Giltrap, but the guitar intro to the first track on the album, "Ode To Me And You", could surely have been the man himself, although it's very much a fleeting flash. The main body of the track is an out and out infectious introduction to what I'm sure is going to be a great album. There's no denying the Liverpudlian accent, and why would you? Jamie, after all, came to prominence apparently performing outside Liverpool Football Club.

Continuing the happy vibe is "Modern Living Symphony", and it's hard not to want to move something along with the music. I think more than the previous track, there's no denying Jamie's Liverpool heritage, and it's always something I love about artists who choose to let their accents come through unapologetically. It kind of sounds like a side swipe, but it's not meant to be. I'm from East London and, though I've been in Canada for 26 years, everyone is surprised I've been here that long, as I've never felt the need to pretend otherwise and adopt an accent that wasn't mine.

Things take a step back with "Small Town". It's not a slow song by any means, but the energy is decidedly different, a little more reflective and maybe a little more autobiographical. There was something in the production that piqued my interest, in particular the start, with what sounds like either keyboards or maybe guitar, but it gives very David Bowie vibes, particularly "Heroes".

Starting more acoustically is "Wherever You Are", and indeed there's an even greater sense of intimacy, in not just the words, but also the vocal delivery. It's another one of those songs that begs for a chorus of voices. We do get that to some degree, but I'm thinking more a stadium of eager voices, joining in and being part of the bigger picture.

Again starting acoustically, "Just Began" has a more traditional folk feel, maybe with a hint of Irish charm, but still with a very contemporary feel. Ever present is that driving force, that undeniable ingredient that makes you want to move.

Decidedly more reflective is "Breadline", with its honesty in the lyrics. You can't help but wonder if the song is in some way autobiographical. It's poignant and bittersweet, but it's very much a story of moving forward and striving for something more.

I think "241 Tuesday" was the first track where I didn't feel comfortable. Musically, the track has a good beat and the lyrics flow, but in a more brusque manner. It's like checking out a group that is loud and intimidating and not wanting to be caught looking, but you can't help yourself vicariously following their exploits. It's dark and dirty and utterly mesmerising.

"Everybody's Gotta Love" is, for me, a curious one. For some reason it didn't quite sit well with me and I can't put my finger on why. It has a nice pace and, as always, the vocal delivery is good, but it just didn't strike a chord. I did, though, want to call out the electric guitar work, which really resonated with me. This could well be one of those songs that needs time to grow, as often you don't love everything on an album. Time will tell.

Returning to the simpler format, "King Of Queens" has that infectious swagger, paying homage to the women who are often the real unsung hero behind the man. At two minutes fifty seven seconds, it's actually the shortest track on the album by 1 second, but for some reason, it feels even shorter. It's over and done in the blink of an eye and feels much more like a 2 minute track, which isn't a bad thing leaving the listener wanting more.

I loved "Across The River" and couldn't help but wonder if indeed the river was THE river. I'm guessing yes, so given the title, I couldn't help wanting to hear mention of Liverpool or the Mersey. This feels very much a love letter to home, but without being explicit, so could have been the indie darling for Liverpool, like "The Angel (North London Forever)" is for the Goons (sic).

The album finishes with "VAT", a curious subject for a song, with VAT meaning Value Added Tax, but as a song it closes the album nicely. It's again acoustically led, but has a nice, subtle choral backing and a beautiful use of strings. It's a song that, when it finishes, leaves you feeling that the book has been closed with a satisfying thud.

Liverpool has become synonymous with great music, from The Beatles and Gerry and the Pacemakers, through to The Lightning Seeds, The Farm, Cast and The La's. And while it may be somewhat hackneyed to make that kind of comparison, I think this is very much an album that sets a new era, hopefully in the future adding Jamie to that list of mighty Liverpool acts to compare against, with, after all, an absolute stonker of an album.