David Corley: Gripping tunes delivered with dramatic drawl

Two years ago Indiana-born David Corley turned heads when, at the sweet and tender age of 53, he released a debut album of gritty elegance so steeped in 1970s culture that we wondered had he slept through the last 40 years. This new set continues in the same vein, songs soaked in colourful, passion-filled imagery are delivered in a knowing voice weathered by the years while his band, marshalled by Canadian producer and guitarist Hugh Christopher Brown, stagger out into the light, guitars at the ready. Corley's dramatic drawl, by times redolent of Lou Reed, Van Morrison or even Chris Rea, is offset by ever-ready female backing voices, creating a soulful rootsy sound. The songs are intense and reflective, always building, reaching for the moment. They include a couple of really gripping tunes not least the title track, Vision Pilgrim and Down With the Universe. davidcorleymusic.com