Scottish singer/songwriter
Roddy Hart might only be in his mid-twenties, but he reveals himself to be something of an old soul on his debut disc. In the opening tune, "The Life and Times of Joseph Rowe," he offers a moving portrait of an old man looking back at his life and observing: "As the years went rushing past/I let some things slip from my grasp/Too proud to let the moments last." While his lyrics display an impressive perspective for a twenty-something songwriter, it's the lovely melody that sweeps up the listener. By the second track, the twangy pop gem "She Is All I Need,"
Hart invites comparisons to the critically acclaimed tunesmith
Ron Sexsmith through his skilled songcraft as well as his gentle, slightly trembly vocal style. Throughout the disc, he exhibits a mature musical sense without coming across as overly precocious. He combines a bit of young
Dylan with a
Costello croon to convey a sense of melancholic regret on "My Greatest Success" while the romantic tale "One Thousand Lives" suggests a stripped down "For You" with a touch of
Jeff Buckley. These nods to his influences, typical of a young performer, don't diminish
Hart's accomplishments here. Another attractive feature is the disc's rich but not overly fussy arrangements created by
Hart, who plays a variety of guitars and keyboards, and his co-producer, veteran Scottish rocker
Paul McGeechan. All of their elements coalesce wonderfully on "Flames," a glorious up-tempo love story about "young Jack and sweet Marie" built around a catchy little guitar lick, a wash of Hammond organ and some lush backing vocals. It's the type of tune that
Van Morrison might have done back in his "Brown-Eyed Girl" days. This disc, however, is not a flawless effort. The middle section bogs down slightly with one too many piano ballads but the songs never succumb to becoming bland and glossy. The album wraps up strongly with the spare, wistful "Journey's End," another tune that demonstrates
Hart's wiser-than-his years skills. The highly memorable
Bookmarks marks an impressive debut from
Hart, and sets the bar high for his future efforts. ~ Michael Berick