You have to admire his nerve, at least. Neil McCormick, a musical hobbyist whose day job is pop columnist for The Daily Telegraph, goes from poacher to gamekeeper with this self-released, derivative debut album.
Mostly composed of MOR saloon-bar rock, Mortal Coil is competent enough, but too obviously indebted to the canon of greats?Dylan and Van Morrison, especially?to break any new ground.
McCormick has a passable voice that would not shame the average middle-rank indie band, but lyrical banalities are his Achilles Heel. From an accomplished and witty writer like McCormick, it’s seriously lacking in bite or insight.
Advertisement