Posted at 17:30h
in
Reviews
When God was handing out talent, Raul Midon must have found himself one of the first in line. This honey-voiced, virtuoso guitarist and accomplished songwriter (who also does a mean impression of the muted-trumpet) is now three albums deep and his star shows no sign of waning.
The Afro-Argentinian singer-songwriter first made major ripples on the scene with his debut album
State of Mind (with a guest appearance from
Stevie Wonder on harmonica) back in 2006. Its release was accompanied by a strategic and well-received performance on the Late Show with David Letterman and various tour dates including a London gig supported by, the then unknown,
Adele.
State of Mind was almost completely an acoustic affair.
The 2007 follow-up
World Within A World however drew ire from certain quarters as Midon departed from the unplugged feel of his debut, opting for a fuller, more obviously programmed sound. The detractors need not have worried; the most important element-the songs - were still quality.
Midon has the knack of penning melodies so simple and effective; you wonder why no one else has thought of them before. Neither is he one for over-production and cluttered soundscapes, keeping his arrangements sufficiently spacious. In addition Raul’s live sets are usually stripped down to just the man and his six-string, proving he doesn’t need any gimmicks when the raw gift is on show.
Raul returns this year with
Synthesis, possibly his most instantly appealing record yet.
