The Boy Who Trapped The Sun – Home EP

Having left his native Isle of Lewis to head towards London in order to make it as a singer songwriter, it is perhaps not entirely unsurprising that the title of Colin Macleod's second EP is Home.One man and an acoustic guitar can at times be a pretty uninspiring proposition, but it turns out that Macleod is something a little bit special. Kicking things off with the title track he introduces himself with a nifty guitar flourish before settling down into a wonderfully laid back groove supplied by some almost apathetic drums and a languid bass that slides along underneath it all with an almost funky lollop. Despite the fact that come the chorus it's all you can do not to join in with a quick excerpt of coal mining ditty "Sixteen Tons", this is a fine piece of song writing that sums up Macleod's feelings about his relocation and that the city in which he currently resides is not a home. Despite the introspective nature of the lyrics, it's actually quite an incessant upbeat little number and one that quickly attains earworm status on account of Macleod's warm and tender vocals.In the Dark strips things back to a simple guitar line and a plaintive vocal from Macleod which explores the nature of fear and his self doubt. There's some nice imagery here, albeit in a fairly simplistic childlike manner. You get the feeling if only he'd turned his nightlight on when he wrote it, it would have been a much more positive song."Happiness exists when it shared" states Macleod on 'The Fox' a song which shows off his vocal dexterity and the emotional side of his writing. The piano melody that augments his guitar is simple but possesses a lovely melody which follows the vocal and adds a tinge of sadness to the song. For some reason he seems to be singing about Supertramp on the chorus, which rather affects the emotional tone, but so much as to render the whole thing ridiculous.The nonsense of 'Lying To Get on Your Good Side' is a fun distraction. It feels out of place here, although it does suggest that if there was ever a Tom Lehrer covers album by The Boy Who Trapped The Sun, it would probably turn out to be pretty good.'Change The Clocks' wraps things up in the style of a gentle lament. Out of all the material here, it's the one that most obviously owes a debt to Macleod's folk leanings. There's a distinct Nick Drake edge to it, and it is undeniably a very pretty little song, but coming straight after the oddness of 'Lying to Get On Your Good Side', it feels a little out of place.Home lacks a little focus at times, but there is little doubt that Colin Macleod is a genuine talent, and before long the regret he feels about leaving Home to head for the city will be a distant memory.