King Creosote ‘King Creosote’ (Names)

Another singer-songwriter, another man and guitar/piano with a James Blunt-style warbley vocal. I’m not sure whether I can deal with another demented, obsessed, lovesick narcissist. King Creosote has a great name and a lovely voice – a haunting voice in fact – he is understated, unassuming, undeniably talented. In short, not as blunt as Blunt but he’s simply nothing new.

His songs are well crafted, thoughtful and delicate but by track six I’m wondering whether to abandon this and start chopping the root vegetables I’ve just bought for Sunday dinner. Opener ‘Not One Bit Ashamed’ ends with a Richard Ashcroft style mantra, which I really dig. ‘You Are Could I’ proves that this guy is a clever lyricist, and ‘The Vice Like Gist Of It’ has a real beauty about it. Gentle violins, haunting melody – similar to the stuff on Damien Rice’s ‘O’. A song you can imagine being sung in a country pub with a warm fire.

All in all, this Scottish guy is an excellent artist but he’ll never be the King of anything.

words: Rachel Machin

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