Secret Meeting score: 78

by Philip Moss

In 2012, London-based four piece, Dry The River, released their debut album, Shallow Bed, to much critical acclaim. But after the release of their sophomore record just two years later, the band were no more. Fast forward to 2018, and lead singer/songwriter, Peter Liddle, has gone at it alone – this week releasing his debut solo collection, Casual Labour.

Lead single, You Shouldn’t Have Called, is a gorgeous opener, with Liddle’s delicate voice set against melancholic acoustic plucks and orchestral flourishes. They underpin its repetitive chorus – ‘Oh lover, you shouldn’t have called’ – before the mournfully reflective verse – ‘My childish self esteem will quietly abandon me,’ portrays a songwriter who, possibly damaged by the way his band was treated by the industry, means his confidence does not match his abilities. A point further emphasised on Mary – ‘Don’t you dream of men with greater social confidence?’

Good and Naica show off his stunning voice, recalling Ahoni at her absolute whimsical best. While the inflection of Excalibur and the soaring falsetto of Biltmore Hotel and Casual Labour mean you’d be hard pressed to convince someone who didn’t know that they weren’t taken from Sufjan Stevens’ back catalogue.

Casual Labour has been pieced together in Liddle’s spare time over the intervening years since he moved to Bristol to study law. But it’s safe to say that the fruits of his labour are well worth his efforts, and prove that this is a songwriter who deserves a second bite at the industry.

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