Turn The Car Around. Gaz Coombes

There's a stack of records written and sung by Gaz Coombes in the home here but none of them is a solo album. Having been able to listen to Turn The Car Around I start to understand in a much better way why there are solo records: this is a songwriter who threw off the chains of expectation.

Of course, because of his voice he is instantly recognisable as Gaz Coombes, musically barely. On his new album Coombes explores his music and is able to show different sides to his art of songwriting. Thus it becomes wider and broader, in sound, in genre and thus variation.

For me, that's subjective I know, all albums of Supergrass after 'Supergrass' were a bit less than the one before. It also showed in sales with 'Road To Rouen' at the bottom of the pit. Supergrass appeared a dead end street, although I remember writing that a good album should still be hidden in there somewhere, when I wrote on 'Road To Rouen'. It did not happen. The band folded.

I admit, I missed all solo albums so far and am hugely surprised by Turn The Car Around. It starts with a beautiful ballad. Dreamy, piano driven and Coombes taking his time to set the mood before starting the song for real. It works, as I was captured immediately. The mood created is fantastic, superior. Small additions to the sound, make the song even more subtle and then the band kicks in full force and I'm swept of my feet. 'Overnight Trains' is an incredibly strong opening song.

From that moment on we as listeners are taken on a ride. Coombes shows us different musical paths and alleyways, where some song could have been by Supergrass, with a little power added, e.g. the title song, or like 'Long Live The Strange' for 100%, but also does a Radiohead light ('Not The Only Light'), some dance rhythms and more strong ballads with other instruments taking the lead than a guitar. The instrument is not absent. Listen e.g. to the nice solo in 'Don't Say It's Over' and the fiery part in 'Long Live The Strange'. In general it's not as prominent as I was used to in his music. Keyboards and pianos do a lot of the work on Turn The Car Around, as do atmospherics created by synths. Add some 1960s Cream like psychedelic harmony singing and you get the picture. Expect a lot on this album, including quality, right up to the final song, 'Dance On'.

Years ago, I was amazed when I found out how young Coombes was when he wrote Supergrass' first album. Young of course but that young? We are closing in on 30 years down the road from 'I Should Coco'. This makes him a middle aged man today. One who shows ambition and craftsmanship as a songwriter. The pleasure of my renewal with Gaz Coombes music is totally mine.

Wout de Natris