Reviewed by Lins Honeyman

It's often been said that the test of a quality song is whether or not it can still stand up when performed on just an acoustic guitar. Scottish singer/songwriter Nicol proves that theory correct with a collection of songs that sees the experienced troubadour sans band and solely accompanied by his acoustic guitar in what is an intimate portrayal of the man's work. With half a dozen songs remade from his full-blooded album 'Storm The Winter Palace', stripped back versions of the likes of "Era For Miracles" and the evergreen "Live Like A Lion" prove that Scott's performances are just as powerful solo (as anyone who has seen him play a solo gig will testify) whilst the version of the heartstring-tugging "Paradise" found here is arguably superior to its full band counterpart. Despite being limited to just one instrument for company, Nicol still succeeds in turning in high octane performances with the likes of "Welcome To Dreamland" and the raw "Another Sunrise" on account of his trademark husky vocal delivery and attacking guitar style before betraying his tender side in the love song "Untamed Soul". Nicol's expert use of poetic imagery to reference his faith is evident throughout and tracks such as "Bullet Train From Tokyo" and the raison d'etre song "Flagrunner" are all the more effective up close and personal. Further quality songs like the key change-laden "She Don't Look Back" and the conscious-pricking "More Than Love" round off this exemplary and brave release from Nicol.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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