Distant Autumn - Shine

Hear The Track Here

Although Distant Autumn only got a keeper in the annual Stevies awards this year, I have no doubt that if they keep on doing what they are doing, 2011 could well be a very good year indeed. I've only reviewed one track so far, You Know What You Do (October 2010) and I ended that review by saying ' if you listen to a track at all this year, let it be this one' and I'm sure many people to me at my word. OK so they might have to be a bit of a rock animal, and like that mixed with some close vocal harmony work but who doesn't? Certainly it's a format that has shown its worth time and again - as I have mentioned before.

Distant Autumn is Silvertrain alumnus John Brandon, musician/producer Brad Strickland and vocalist Al McNeill, John Brandon, as many of you know, being an excellent songwriter of many years standing both with Silvertrain and lately with Those Among Us and - as it happens - one of my own favourite musicians.As I mentioned in my previous review, Distant Autumn are a somewhat softer rock version than we are used to with young Brandon, but that shouldn't stop anyone because it's heart is in classic rock for sure. It also isn't anything like as immediate as You Know What You Do, at least to me. While it's certainly a cut above the competition -as you would expect from such experience - it's isn't quite as graspable as the previous track.

I know, sounds like damning with faint praise... I think this is going to be down to a personal taste thing because while I realise that the guys have put in their usual sterling performance maybe the style of the track just doesn't get me - or at least not in the way expected. Don't get me wrong here, this track doesn't put a foot wrong and - if you like classic rock - it's going to go down a treat with you. John and I have often had different opinions about which of his song work and why, and I guess this is going to be one of those. Mind you, this is small quibbles and probably only something he and I find of interest so while we go off in the corner debating the point, you get stuck into this rock delicacy...

Highly Recommended soft rock.