Glyn Bailey & The Many Splendid Things: Happiness

Listen, we need to talk. Where were you? Weren't you paying attention? Didn't you heed my words? No? Are you mad?

Released in 2011, The Disturbance by Glyn Bailey & The Many Splendid Things deserved to be huge. I expected banners fluttering from planes circling over Buckingham Palace, the band's name up in lights in Time Square. At least for the bloke with the dog down the local pub to whisper the album's name sinisterly in people's ear as they spluttered their pint down their chin. But no, unfortunately here we are in 2013 and what should have been the follow up to the smash hit album The Disturbance appears with little fanfare, but much to laud it and much to love, laugh and shake your head at. What more could you ask for.....other than fame fortune, a celebrity girlfriend and your face in the tabloids of course.

Well what those things of spendidness and a certain Mr Bailey are willing to offer this time is Happiness. That's not a bad deal is it? Especially when it is delivered in spades across ten tracks which rock, roll, prog and stroll through jaunty themes serious ideals and catchy outbursts. Some people would call them choruses, but there's nothing so frivolous here. Oh no. GB&TMST (sounds like some sort of diseased trade union...) reveal joyous extolations which even during your first encounter greet you as old friends, recounting their names as you blurt out "John The Revelator", "Whiskey Time", or "Not Guilty" as though in some sort of opt-in trance.

But what do you call it? Is it shhhhh......whisper it, Prog? Yes! And, well, no. So it's Pop then surely? Oh yes! And, well, no. Folk? Don't be silly! Well only in mere flashes. Actually it's none of those things and all of them, all at once. Bailey himself still sounds like a young, funky Bowie and still has dulcet Colin Vearncombe (Black) moments. But somehow he also reminds of Fish this time (although don't tell him I said that), but more in the way he masterfully tells stories, rather than an actual singing style. Obviously.

So what's not to love? The gentle almost Spaghetti Western of "When Love Calls"? No, that's rather grand, in an understated way. "I, Robinson" then? Don't be silly that's another of those songs that by law you'll have to sing along with at punishment of having your toes painted with dayglo hi-vis vest lacquer. It must be "Temptation" then? Stop it, didn't you hear the Bowie drawl and sombre, melodic melancholy? I told you to pay attention! So the problem is the semi serious, semi humorous lyrics? No, hearing subjects like the stupidity of macho manliness of "IAmAMan", the turn your head the other way and say I wasn't listening and everything will be okay of "Not Guilty", or the vacuousness of day time radio in "The Seven Secrets Of Happiness" are engaging, funny and thought provoking.

Oh so there isn't problem then? Finally. You're listening.

Tell your friends, scream it from the rooftops, at least tell the odd bloke in the pub this time, Glyn Bailey & The Many Splendid things are back. It isn't Disturbance they are offering now, it's Happiness and who in their right mind would turn that down? Not me and neither should you.

Track Listing
1. When Love Calls
2. I, Robinson
3. Not Guilty
4. IAmAMan
5. Whiskey Time
6. John The Revelator
7. Spirit Warning
8. Temptation
9. The Seven Secrets Of Happiness
10. Amsterdam

Added: September 21st 2013
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Glyn Bailey Online
Hits: 2219
Language: english

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