“This is driving, open top, on a deserted road - with the wind in your hair, music...”

Missing the London music scene, music writer Jeff Perkins finds talent almost on his doorstep. Here he reviews 2 albums from local musician Greg Yule.

The only thing slowing me down in my haste to escape London to a new life in France was music - or rather, my love of watching the good stuff played live. Cows and sheep are okay up to a point but give me a live band and an appreciative audience, and I’m as happy as our new pet pig.

After saying ‘bonjour’ to French life, I ventured to Paris to see Iron Maiden and to Lille to see Robin Trower, Webb Wilder, Marillion and Pendragon. However, the best discovery has been that we have a highly talented songwriter musician living right here on our French doorstep.

Greg Yule, who lives in Mouriez, Pas de Calais, has a well established musical pedigree since his early days playing in the band Grey By The Gun in his hometown of Aberdeen in the late eighties. They were successful enough to support bands such as Marillion, Deacon Blue, Wet Wet Wet at major venues.

After relocating and a change of name to The Promise, the band signed to the RCA label in the US. Timing is everything in music, in more ways than one and, when RCA made cutbacks, the band found itself adrift and unable to release its debut album.

During the nineties Greg was busy playing gigs across the south with a number of bands, including his own Ship Of Fools, while writing a host of material. In early 2002 the first album Roses was released. Three years later, Rivers Run Dry followed.

Greg’s song-writing pedigree is evident in both of these excellent albums. Roses opens with But In Summertime, a track guaranteed to have you staring reflectively into the half distance. Flame Of Stone is rich with Greg’s undoubted ability to write infectious and memorable hooks.

Add to these the gorgeously thought provoking gem Look At Those Years (Run Away), the reflective beauty of My Last Chance and the memorable title track itself. Losing Control, complete with some nice slide, confirm that this is a musician who has music flowing through him like good wine. He is able to write music that leaves every song arriving like an old friend whose company enriches you. Whilst The Word and the funky Poison Kiss step it up, Taken By The Wind eases us back with a wonderful sad song guaranteed to stop you in your tracks.

I wish I had discovered Rivers Run Dry on its release in 2005. It oozes quality, evoking memories of ‘peaceful easy feeling’ Eagles, with its gentle, sometimes melancholic collection of songs.

This is driving, open top, on a deserted road with the wind in your hair, music. The infectious Another Thing, co-written with Adrian Marshall and the classy hook of Somebody Else just demand radio airplay. I can promise you that these are songs you will find yourself humming around the house for days to come.

The beautiful melancholy of the title song is yet another memorable track within a set that never loses quality. Other highlights include the equally strong Nowhere To Go, the easy feel of Better and the up-tempo, sax soaked Blame It On You.

Way We Were and the impressive Turn And Walk Away, which has the additional vocals of Paula Scott, are both pure class. The gorgeous Tears I Cried Like Rain and the easy blues of Angels bring this excellent album to a highly satisfying close.

I am left feeling that I have just discovered a previously lost gem amongst my rather large collection of vinyl. The good news is that Greg plays live dates in France and is currently working on a third album. I’ll be the one with a huge grin of satisfaction across my face, secure that my thirst for quality music in my new home can now be met.

You can buy these albums and read more about Greg Yule at http://www.gregyule.net. And if there are any budding musicians out there look for the details of Greg’s studio, which is available for hire.

Jeff lives in Vieil-Hesdin, Pas de Calais. He has published nearly twenty music related works, including a biography of David Byron, the original Uriah Heep singer, and CD/DVD box sets on such artists as The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, U2, Johnny Cash and Coldplay. He also publicises bands in the US and writes reviews for online magazines, including Eurorock and Classic Eurorock, which can be found at http://blogcritics.org/writers/jeff-perkins.

Add to these the gorgeously thought provoking gem Look At Those Years (Run Away), the reflective beauty of My Last Chance and the memorable title track itself. Losing Control, complete with some nice slide, confirm that this is a musician who has music flowing through him like good wine. He is able to write music that leaves every song arriving like an old friend whose company enriches you. Whilst The Word and the funky Poison Kiss step it up, Taken By The Wind eases us back with a wonderful sad song guaranteed to stop you in your tracks.