A New Kind of Loneliness

Album Review

On his seventh solo recording, the onetime founder and lead singer/songwriter of Britain's popular alternative country band the Good Sons continues to celebrate the art of crafting songs that are all at once arena rock engaging, folksy, lyrically pointed, and a lot of fun. For the most part, he's in full traditional low-key heartfelt strumming troubadour mode — most notably on reflective tunes like the dramatic "The Last Hurrah," "My Heart Stopped Today" (featuring gorgeous harmony vocal and instrumental contributions by Chris Hillman and Herb Pedersen), and "This Man Can Break So Easily." He also pays homage to his Irish inspiration in unique ways — a dramatic and mournful horn-spiced cover of Gilbert O'Sullivan's "Alone Again (Naturally)" and a more vibrant and percussive original singalong, "Here's the Plan" (enhanced by Matt Howden's subtle violin, Mike Cosgrove's graceful organ and piano, and Lou Dalgleish's charming backing vocals). His pop-Cajun jaunt "Let the Waves Break on Your Face" shows off King's spirited rock side as well. The two bonus track demos feature the singer's James Taylor-esque voice with minimal accompaniment, allowing him to share his rich emotion and romance largely unadorned.