Not On The Radar (The Demos). Mark Fry

In the huge stacks of digital albums that reach me each week, Not On The Radar did not catch my attention. Recently, a song released as a single from the demo versions of that album did and made me want to listen to The Demos album.

Mark Fry is a British (abstract) painter living in Normandy, France, who also makes music and releases this music as well. A man of many colours. The moniker demos is exactly what the listener gets, Fry's voice and accompaniment of an acoustic guitar. Yes, you will find an overdub here and there, but there are no embellishments in the form of a rhythm section, orchestrations, backgroud vocals, etc. The result is an album that was made for a late evening, just before going to bed, relaxing with just music. Not On The Radar (The Demos) is an album like the end of a warm, sunny day. When the house is starting to cool down just a little and nothing is left to be done.

Fry recorded these versions in his atelier in Normandy before a band came over there to record the album 'Not On The Radar', released in May 2025. Some of the demos were recorded with his guitarist Iain Ross in his studio in London. This explains the addition of instruments on the demos.

I have not heard the original album and will not put it on, because I want to keep a clear mind for "The Demos". This version is perhaps released too soon after the original. Usually this is kept for the xth anniversary addition of an album. Mark Fry did not want to wait that long, and I can imagine why. His demos are strong recordings and deserve to be heard. Had he released these versions in May, no one would have commented on missing whatever. "The Demos" is an album that many a singer-songwriter would have been proud to release.

The only thing I can hold against this version, is that the songs do tend to become one dimensional because they all sort of sound the same. This however takes nothing away from the strength of the individual songs. Not On The Radar (The Demos) is an album in its own right.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

 

You can listen to and order the original album here (and perhaps the demos later?):

https://markfry.bandcamp.com/album/not-on-the-radar