If you are someone for whom first impressions are important, then regrettably young Rory McVicar will probably have lost you before he even breaks sweat on his debut album. The first track up simply sounds clumsy and amateur. The omens aren’t good and he faces an uphill battle from there on in to make an impact in the current crowded male singer-songwriter market. Fellow Norwich resident Delia Smith must have dropped in for a quick “Where are you? Let’s be ‘aving you” rant before track two and previous single “Now That You’re Mine”; since it manages to be appealingly charming – stuffed full of oooohs and aaaaghs in a summery busking Beatles/Kinks fashion. But it’s a false dawn. There is variation in presentation – from the one man yearning with folksy guitar (Buckley/Drake) to full indie band – but throughout McVicar is hamstrung by the lack of emotional power in his thin voice, and a tendency to corny rhymes. He lacks the gravitas/world-weariness for a distinctive impact with average songs: even those that begin well all too often lost their grip on this listener well before the end.

Mixed up in the middle are a couple of tracks painted in broader strokes with the cinematic sweep and rich arrangements of Calexico: “All Your Life” is a dusty shuffle with McVicar growling in a thankfully lower register, and “Pretend Song” ends with two minutes of feedback and ‘atmosphere’. Parting shot “Goodbye To An Old Friend” almost scores in injury time. A decent tune is captured amid ambient demo hiss with its underlying tearful rippling piano nicely complimenting McVicar’s best attempt at heartbreak.

He did make it through to the final 6 of the Red Stripe Music Awards in May, but after each listen, track eight sums up the after-taste in a vaguely poppy Morrisey style: “No More Do I Care”.
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Links
Rory McVicar [myspace]