Robin Adams - The Garden

"The Garden" is the fourth album from Glaswegian singer-songwriter Robin Adams. He's an acoustic performer, so this album is simply him singing and playing acoustic guitar - with the odd bit of harmonica thrown in. That's a style that is simple to do, but very difficult to do well - the odd acoustic song may sound good, but for an entire album to be acoustic requires a very high standard if it is to keep the listener's interest rather than sounding a bit "samey".

Happily Robin Adams has the talent necessary to make an acoustic singer-songwriter album that works well. First and most important he's a great songwriter. On this album he's chosen to focus on the life of painter Vincent Van Gogh as his inspiration for most of the songs. Additionally there are two war themed songs which are based on the poem "Sleeper in the valley" by Arthur Rimbaud.

The music is great - the guitar is quite understated much of the time, and there's a soft melancholy feel to it, and combined with his great vocals the listener is drawn in and the emotions conveyed in the songs really come across.

It's a beautiful album that is well worth checking out.

"The Garden" will be released on 13th April 2015

Track listing:

1. The garden
2. Paint me the day
3. Keep me
4. Troubled skies
5. Right to run
6. Street
7. Holy smoke
8. Need not turn
9. Midnight blood
10. Collision course