Don’t be fooled by the tacky appearance of Innes Campbell’s latest album. Click To Like offers a wide range of musical styles. From rich acoustic textures found in Lost and Found and Two’s Company, to the high-energy ska-grassy punk of Oh Jimmy. Innes’ vocals really shine on the more folky material such as Phantom Power and Only This.
Innes’ voice has a real innocent and lyrical quality, despite his habit of throwing in the odd controversial lyric. Brown kicks off sounding like Bill Monroe has been resurrected from the dead, but then we are given an insight into Innes’ wonderfully curious mind.
Innes clearly has strong roots in bluegrass but is not afraid of traditionalists and the use of modern effects. Cruel Freak is probably the bravest and most enjoyable example of this. Above the Law is another intriguing experiment combining skilful mandolin playing with creative electronic samples. It was so fascinating I had to go back and have another listen.
The last two offerings almost summarise the album. Pig Dog Man is a roaring, percussive bluegrass track, whereas Nothing Left To Say, with its electronic and pop elements, is a step into outer space by comparison.
Buy this album if you are curious to hear a talented individual perform an exquisite exploration of the boundaries of acoustic music. I was tempted to open a second Facebook account so I can ‘click to like’ it twice.
Review by Hamish Davidson, 22 June 2013
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