A cover of this compilation’s title track was one of Christy Moore’s most acclaimed recent recordings; another, an amped-up reading of The Searchers’ Don’t Throw Your Love Away, features Elvis Costello on duet vocal. Ian Prowse has some famous fans – and it’s easy to see why.
Formerly the leader of 90s literate popsters Pele and now centre-stage with his latest band Amsterdam (both well represented here), Prowse deals in heart-swelling, uplifting social commentary with an occasional Springsteen-like bent. You’ll hear the eloquence of Woody Guthrie, Paul Simon and the aforementioned Costello across these 18 tracks, but you’ll also hear Prowse’s own passion, his own take on the world.
Celtic motifs weave in and out of melodic guitar rock, rallying cry choruses and informed lyrical wordplay, be it calls to arms such as Raid The Palace or Fireworks, multi-layered portraits of his beloved Liverpool (Love Phenomenon) or eulogies to absent heroes (the Strummer tribute Joe’s Kiss). Urban folk is as good a label as any, though it would be foolish to get too reductive when talking about one of the UK’s most thrilling and underrated singer-songwriters.
