Adam Irving: Old New Blue

English multi-instrumentalist Adam Irving alternates between rough blues rock (New Machine), dreamy experimental electronics excursions (Astart, 6am Hobsonway )and acoustic musings (Bring It On) on his latest album Old New Blue, so getting a proper sequencing of the tracks that makes sense must have been an uphill battle. Recorded in fits and starts in Manchester, Vienna and Berlin over a five year period, it became a collection of songs about being independent and being a loner in a world that has little patience for outliers.

Finding peace with Yoga 4 after channeling Zappa in the harsh So Long shows the inner tension that makes Old New Blue a captivating listening experience. And lo and behold: there is even a happy ending of sorts with the gentle Wet Nose: "Overall its elapsing, a synapse perhaps in another encounter which perfectly fits. With a dry throat I’ll lay back, with no thought of payback, the image will play back, a satisfied me."

Old New Blue is a self-released album (CD, digital). Buy it from his website.

Tracks:

1. Truth
2. New Machine
3. Astart
4. Become
5. So Long
6. Yoga 4
7. Spirit of 95'
8. The Relentless Beep
9. Bring It On
10. Mountainess
11. 6am Hobsonway
12. Wet Nose

» Adam Irving on Bandcamp

HCTF review of Bespoken.