See Basehart Recordings***

You have the new Dexys album and don’t like it? Or perhaps you haven’t yet heard it? There, there, my dear, not to worry, here’s the debut solo album from Kevin Rowland’s right-hand man, Pete Williams. If this was Dexys’ new album, not too many diehard fans would be disappointed.

Taking the if-it-ain’t-broke-don’t-fix-it approach to that band’s intense country/soul/pop, Williams, helped out by Richard Hawley on guitar, digs deep into his own past. He references not just the Dexys sound but also Rowland’s vocal phrasing on songs (Reconsider This, Are You Listening, Questions and Little One) that are reflective rather than confrontational (often Rowland’s default setting).

As albums go, this is really quite good. As a companion piece to new (or, indeed, old) Dexys material it's admirably comparable. petewilliamsmusic.com

Download tracks:Reconsider This, Are You Listening, Until We Empty Off This Bottle