BBC Review
A classic case of the protégé rebelling against the laid-out path.
Sophie Bruce 2009-05-27
After his million selling 2006 debut, Paisley boy Paolo Nutini is back with the follow up – and it’s a classic case of the protégé rebelling against the path laid out for him. Where These Streets was slick, polished and poppy, Sunny Side Up is the exact opposite.
It’s difficult to know what to make this confused, folky melee – a lot of which sounds not unlike the sort of souvenir your Dad might bring back from a week in the Outer Hebrides. If you can get past his heavily accented lyrics – and sometimes they’re almost unintelligible – then the music is equally rambling.
This is a self-penned, self-produced flight of indulgent fancy, more old fashioned than old school. It’s all the more surprising given that he had help from Kings Of Leon supremo Ethan Johns – but then maybe these days Paolo’s harder to mould. Let’s face it; he has now played Live Earth, supported Led Zepplin and duetted with Mick Jagger. How do you argue with that?
Nutini’s aim was an organic, timeless sound – the result is described by even his own management as ‘almost unfashionably eclectic’. And maybe there lies the problem – this album sounds 40 years older than it should do coming from a guy still in his early 20s.
If he’s aiming to crack the US he’s certainly heading in the right musical direction, with first single Candy sounding spookily like a Scottish Bruce Springsteen. Laidback soulful ballad Coming Up Easy is about his struggles with marijuana, but just sounds like it was written on the stuff.
The confusion continues with ska-driven 10/10, Pencil of Lead where he sounds like a sped-up Louis Armstrong and the messy High Hopes – melody and lyrics are great, but overshadowed by an ill-thought-out penny whistle which belongs on the soundtrack to The Lion King.
There are some gems - like Worried Man, a beautifully dark ditty about a man ‘who feels like he’s getting old before his time’. Irony alert! Paolo, slow down – it doesn’t look like you’ll be forced to return to the family fish and chip business any time soon, but that doesn’t mean you have to age six decades between albums.
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Comments
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I think that's what you call pure genius, man. That's Paolo and his new album, I mean, not you or this review.
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Paolo's a bit of a marmite artist - you love him or hate him. Don't be put off by the fact that the reviewer is clearly in the latter camp! Yes, the album does feel a bit mixed up, but there are some genius tracks on here and Paolo's voice is amazing. The Disney comparison is somewhat valid, although I think the film you were searching for is Jungle Book - Paolo himself said he'd been listening to a lot of Louis Prima (the voice of King Louie). Oh, and I don't think it's really fair to criticise a Scottish person for singing with a Scottish accent!
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Is the reviewer familiar with the word diversity? Or 'experimental'?
I don't mean the music is experimental, but Paolo Nutini's attitude to it seems to be. I think there are several songs on this album that will be very well regarded, over time. Anyone that saw Nutini singing on Later with Jools Holland will know that here is a seriously talented vocalist and songwriter. He does, I agree, need to grow into his talent, but this is a superb collection of songs and if the reviewer cannot see that then she should possibly try a new career.
The great shame is that they, the songs, seem flatter on record than in his live performance.
I think he'll be the festival hit of the summer. '10/10' will be a massive dance along, as will 'Coming up Easy'. Candy is a pretty timeless song and can, like all great songs, be interpreted in any way you wish, love song/drug song/break up song.
And 'Pencil Full of Lead' is an absolute stomper, just try not tapping your toes.
He may have become a little chart unfriendly, but is this regarded as a bad thing? If I listen to the majority of the charts then I would suggest he's taken absolutely the right direction, he's aiming for a career, not his next media friendly hit.
It's a shame the reviewer can't open their mind a little and see the music for what it is, rather than what they want it to be. It's the same mistake that most amateur reviewers make, They project what they want to hear onto what they are actually hearing.
Shame really as this album deserves some good coverage. And for the record, I detested his first album. Over produced pap-pop.
Yes he's taken a leap, but then if we don't jump we end up standing in the same place for ever.
LJ
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I've yet to hear the whole album, but I too watched the recent Jools Holland Later outing with Senior Nutini, and I was absolutely gobsmacked. Gone the drunken slevering timid voice...gone the downbeat demeanor like he was Rab C Nesbitt after ten too many for comfort!
What I saw was someone at the top of his game...and I'm a prog rocker by nature!
The problem many are having with Paolo Nutini is that he is that rare artist that is very very diffcult to put into a pidgeon-hole - that can be very frustrating when trying to do a review...as far as I'm concerned forget the pidgeon-holes and categories - just wathc and lisetn and take it all in - watching him do reggae like he was born in Jamaica took the breath away - I would have never have guessed he could do that...and his band has to take credit too!
As for his ancient sounding voice transformation and his use of accents this was something that was bound to happen because there are plenty of personae just waiting to burst out - in my view the sign of a great artist - one who can chnage like a chemaelon - variety is the spice of life as they say....
I'm going to download the album tonight but I reckon Paolo will have new fans baying for more after what I've seen and heard so far.
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This is one of the best albums I have ever heard. The music changes throughout,keeping the listner on their toes, but it doesn't jump from style to style but takes the listener on a stroll through various different categories and Paolo claims each as his own. A white boy doing reggae, blues and jazz or a Paisley boy doing American, C & W and copying Johnny Cash sould not work but it not only works but leaves you wanting more....and more
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I just would like to inform you first the second album of Paolo is amazing,he takes a diferent way and for that he needs alot of respect .
We have see Paolo in gigs in Edinburgh a week ago it was amazing he had a beautiful voice like no other one he's a legend big respect for him long succes he deserve.
Matthieu
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I've just added this album to my collection and I just had to comment after reading the reviewers comments. I enjoyed Nutini's first album, not immediately but it did grow on me. Yes is was aimed at the charts but thats why the wait for this second album has been so worth while. I think the reviewer listened to Sunny Side Up on her ipod while cleaning invisible dust from her minimalist London apartment. Shame she has no depth to her musical emotions because this wonderful album should be stirring them. Its unpolished - as life can be. Top tip Sophie, ditch your ipod and don't buy this weeks shoes; head to the outer Hebrides and listen to some live folk music. If on your return home you still don't enjoy this album, use it as a coaster for your glass or Rose and enjoy your Black Eyed Peas DVD!
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I fail to see the downside of an eclectic album that tries to meld the new and the old. If every album was "slick, polished and poppy" what a gray, sad, boring world it would be. I find it sad that artistic integrity and freedom are decried rather than praised. I for one love this album and find its varied rhythms a great soundtrack for my daily life.
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I bought this album after hearing candy played on radio 2 and feel its the best 8 quid ive spent on music in 25 years.the songs are wide ranging and diverse in their content but also being self penned show a maturity way beyond his twenty odd years clever,emotional,cool,deep,happy,sad,a rollercoaster ride from start to finish from a likeable young man your reviewer should stick to reviewing beyonce or pussycat dolls and leave grown up music alone
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This album is so much better than his debut that it's astonishing it's the same man singing and writing the songs. Well done, young Paolo, a really fine record.
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My opinion of critics, which was not high to begin with, has sunk to a new depth! I can only put his comments down to 'sour grapes'. I have only recently 'discovered' this remarkable singer song writer and am playing this cd non-stop. I will now buy the earlier cd, which this critic no doubt slated at the time!
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Hmm, a poor review that is more telling about the reviewer than the music. This is an outstanding album and one that was totally unexpected from one so young in his musical career. Maybe that is what has thrown Ms Bruce? An fine album on first listen, an outstanding album on further listening. This album grows the more you listen to it, with the layers of production really shining through topped by the scratchy vocals that are Nutini's greatest gift. An eclectic collection of songs that just work when listend to as a whole. It would be interesting to see what the reviewer thinks of this album now.
Like the opening track, this album is 10/10.
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I personally think the album is genius. Yes it is mixed up but that makes it ecclectic. All too often artists churn out albums that have a generic sound so by the 7th track you've heard it all before whereas this keeps you guessing. The production is wonderful too. I must however agree on his voice. It is very different to the first album and I have real trouble understanding what he is singing about.
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