Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
Subtly is not everybody’s forte, it is an art form in itself, one that is either innate or one that is developed over time, and for some they never quite understand the reason why others see them as a bright star burning up the sky and not the Falling Light that dims the soul and puts emotion in rest.
Phil Langran is a personification of subtle, a spirited and ferocious songwriter, his own decree is that of the star in the sky, its ae inconsequential, its majesty revered, its comfort bathed in, for in the instant that Mr. Langran’s latest musical offering hits the ears, it also hits the soul and it is his experience, his own use of subtle persuasion and graft that makes the album one of generosity, intrigue, and refined sensitivity.
Falling Light sees Phil Langran work once again with producers Chris Pepper and the exquisite Boo Hewerdine, and the result is an album that raises the conscious, of being aware of the pressure of Time when placed against the motions of isolation, of dealing with a world on the brink of collapsing under the weight of its own expectation and fears; and in the falling light what is revealed is a burst of energy that is thrilling and expertly framed.
Across tracks such the opener Repair The Light, Love On The Line, Longshore Drift, Alice Wynter, A Kitchen Window, and A Walking Song, Phil Langran, along with delicate and tasteful drama by Boo Hewerdine as he adds harmonium, acoustic guitar, and piano to the proceedings, Phil Langran’s effect on the soul and the senses is one that is a perceptive and fierce explosion, but one not to fear as we would if we were to witness our own heavenly source of life suddenly pass, but one of expansion, its roar being a subtle reminder that life must exist even when we find ourselves looking into the abyss.
A wonderful and pleasurable album in which to spend time, thoughtful, offering profound statements, delving into the considerate and the empathy with reason; Phil Langran once again presents the belief in understanding all that happens around you, and how you can reflect those emotions to make others, if not happier, then more accepting of the Falling Light and the darkness that sometimes enters their lives.
Phil Langran releases Falling Light via Longshore Drift on September 2nd
Ian D. Hall