Hailing from our fair seaside town, Brighton’s very own Conrad Vingoe’s output on “Simple Secrets” is more in keeping with stateside artists such as Great Lake Swimmers, Monsters Of Folk and Ryan Adams. He wears his influences on his sleeves, and that is not necessarily a criticism.
Events do however plod along rather sluggishly until around track six, the upbeat and pop-fuelled “Mountains And Sea”, an up-tempo hoedown akin to folk-punk hero Frank Turner in places.
The rest of the album unfortunately drags a little. In places Vingoe’s lyrical musings serve as endearing tales of love and loss, yet mostly “Simple Secrets” plays out like background music to a rather sedate summer garden party; the end of the party at that.
This disc would have worked rather well if trimmed of several tracks. “Freedom Flies”, with its stripped down approach backed up by the mellow rumblings of the Moog, hugs the ebb and flow of David Gray’s more memorable work. Tender, heartfelt and to the point, it stands in stark contrast to the majority of songs on display here.
One suspects that on closer inspection, this album will unveil hidden gems one didn’t regard as presenting themselves obviously on initial listens. Until then (indeed, it may never happen), the jury is out on “Simple Secrets.”
6/10, 5 July 2010
Oli Robertson
