The Birthday Suit
The Eleventh Hour
(Sing It Alone)
With Idlewild on hiatus and bandmate Roddy Woomble sinking deeper into the Scottish folk scene, Rod Jones has contented himself by doing sterling work with the Scottish Mental Health Foundation while allowing some Celtic colourings of his own to creep into A Sentimental Education, his solo album from 2009. Here, in the context of a new five-piece band, he plugs his guitar back into the amp and proves his indie-rock songwriting talents have not lost their edge. Of course there are guitar riffs and chord sequences familiar enough to keep Idlewild fans happy (On My Own, Sell It All), but the important thing is that the songs they contain are as stirring as almost anything from the early days of 100 Broken Windows. Elsewhere, the likes of Hope Me Home, World Gone By and the title track are melodic indie-pop at the highest end of the market, with airy verses and catchy choruses against the crunch of Jones’s guitar. If/when Idlewild get back together, it’s Jones who has kept the motor running.
Alan Morrison
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