Credit to Mr Scruff, who has gone against the grain somewhat by releasing an album that isn’t quite as upbeat or quirky as you might be misled to expect. Previously he has thrived on an ability for finding quirky tunes, beats and bass wobbles and bringing them together to make hugely entertaining music that puts a smile on your face, but here Andy Carthy goes a bit deeper, enlisting Denis Jones for the soul searching of ‘Stereo Breath’, ‘Thought To the Meaning’ and ‘Catch Sound’ – not to mention Robert Owens for the rather stark ‘He Don’t’ and Vanessa Freeman for ‘Come Find Me’. It’s a brave move indeed, and one that is largely successful because Carthy strips his sound back, often operating with just drums and bass line, revealing the thoughts behind. Worry not if you’re after a trademark wobbly bass, though, because ‘We Are Coming’ delivers in that respect – one of the rare shafts of light as Mr Scruff spreads his songwriting wings.
4 out of 5
Reviewed By Ben Hogwood
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