Search - Rupert Holmes :: Scenario

Quite atrocious production mars Rupert's songwriting ability

Travis | london, UK | 01/15/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I'm not sure why I expected Scenario to be immune from the prevailing winds of musical change, as much as his classic songs from the 70s were examples of superior song-craft they were always just the right side of musical cliche. Gone are are the warm, vividly dramatic synthesizer lines, the lush orchestral textures, the sudden change of gear. Where is the depth to the soundscape? The illusion of walking into a pristine zone between the t.v series and the big screen. The success of his Tony award-winning musical, The Mystery of Edwin Drood and his sit-com (or 'dramedy') he was penning, Remember WENN is proof enough his dramatic touch had not deserted him but it's rather diguised here by banal instrumentation.



After such a long absence expectations run high, particularly with such a gifted songwriter and need it be said - Scenario is still an essential release for any Rupert fans out there. Average Rupert is still pretty good. If you put the dreadful keyboard sound aside, the pretty average guitar and sax work there is still the pleasure of Rupert's voice and his songwriting. One can't help but think what might have been had he got back in the groove by playing live or enlisted the help of an imaginative producer. If you are doing something of a comeback album lets really really sock it to em, Rup!"