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Roy Moller
Speak
When I'm Spoken To
Of all the debut albums released
in 2006, few will come from artists boasting Roy
Moller's pop experience. A regular collaborator
with Belle & Sebastian guitarist Stevie Jackson,
the Glasgow songwriter has had a hand in some of
the last decade's most esteemed pop albums (and
even had a song written about him (Belle & Sebastian's
"Roy Walker"). Now, however, Moller is
stepping out of the shadows and laying bare 11 of
his most personal and powerful songs.
Primarily
a 60s-influenced pop record, Speak When I'm Spoken
To bursts with sunny melodies and bright guitars.
Meanwhile, hearty injections of soul, strings and
groove lend the album an understated maturity that's
impossible to resist. Delicate touches – backwards
guitar lines, layered backing vocals and intermittent
keyboard stabs – also add depth and character
to the record.
But Moller's the first to admit his vision could
not have been realised without help from some of
Glasgow's finest. Stevie Jackson and fellow Belle
& Sebastian member Bobby Kildea play on a sprinkling
of tunes (most notably "Speak When I'm Spoken
To" and "First You Fall In Love"),
while Jackson also assists with production. Elsewhere,
Moller enlists the likes of Gary Thom (The Moondials,
Astrid), Zac Ware (The Proclaimers), Irish troubadour
Sporting Hero, Bill Wright (The Wow Kafe) and Ulric
Kennedy (Golden Dawn) to enhance the album's rich
musical palette. Even photographer Martin Gray,
responsible for the striking cover art, shares vocal
duties on "Great Wall Of China".
Despite
input from a number of sources, Speak When I'm Spoken
To holds together remarkably well. A cohesive excursion
through lush, harmony-soaked pop, it's Moller's
first release on Manchester-based label Book Club
Records and follows limited edition vinyl singles
on the Felicite, Pickled Egg and Heliotone imprints.
It
may have been a while coming, but Speak When I'm
Spoken To is well worth the wait.
Link:
Roy Moller
Audio:
Six
Degrees (demo)
www.myspace.com/roymoller
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