In the past Joe McAlinden has been frontman for the one time Creation Records band, Superstar, collaborated with Alex Chilton/Big Star, worked with BMX Bandits and arranged the strings & brass on Teenage Fanclub Bandwagonesque. The influences and style of all these bands is evident on this record albeit in a hazier, more stripped down manner.
The simplicity was largely forced upon him due to mysterious cognitive issues that caused sudden memory loss. He even forgot how to make music and had to slowly relearn how to make sounds on a keyboard or a guitar.
With perseverance , and by playing every instrument, he managed to complete the record. He says “It was a different way of writing and I suddenly felt like I was creating again.”
The self produced new album was written and recorded at McAlinden’s home studio in Argyll Scotland during 2021 / 2022. The eight songs all have one word titles, or in the case of the first single, 209, one number.
Sparkle was originally on ‘Superstar’s 1998 album, Palm Tree, and this adaptation of the song was the first which made him feel like I was on the right path. Comparing the two versions gives a fair indication of the subtle ways in which he has modified his music to cope with his unforeseen circumstances.
On the penultimate track, Light, he sings “This is a simple song” but in truth the same could be said of all the tracks.
The tunes exude a Talk Talk radiance. This is pop music for grown-ups with rich melodies and a calming ambience.
