Shades Of Night

This is middle of the road, soul-influenced pop music by a technically expert singer. It’s a very well performed and excellently-produced record. It’s designed for people who like M-People, Dido, David Grey, Sade, and maybe that chick who used to appear at the end of Ally McBeal. On the plus side, Sproule’s got an amazing, beautifully textured voice which never strives for flashy effect, and the session players are harnessed into producing some very well judged playing. It’s just that the end result is significantly less than the sum of the parts. As I listen to it I’m transported to a loft in London in the mid-’80s. It’s the night before Black Monday. I’ve just made a killing short-selling bonds in the city and now all I want to do is to relax in the company of a loose legal secretary called Sharon, as I sip white wine on a bearskin rug, and listen to music exactly like this.

Key Track: ‘Heaven’