Hi-Res Downloads

44.1kHz/24-bit ALAC/FLAC/WAV, Naimcd180 (supplied by www.naimlabel.com)

A fine example of how rock can benefit from retention rather than wholesale flattening of dynamics, Fun Lovin’ Criminals frontman, Radio 2 DJ, TV panellist, writer and former marine Huey Morgan pours his life experience into a rich album, not so much ‘solo’ as with a group of long-term friends (‘my gang’). It’s tight and well-crafted stuff, diverse too, channelling somewhere between Graham Parker and Dr Feelgood on the opener, but dropping Morgan’s vocals to a Robbie Robertson growl over the bulk, whether the funked-up drive of ‘Dirty Bird’ (kick-arse kick drum and bass), the blissed-out ‘The White Guard’, the pensive country-edged ‘Shaniqua’ or the lonely acoustic guitar of ‘She Gone’. Only occasionally does the ensemble overwhelm the snap-tight production (notably on ‘New York Bluez’), and even then it overflows with the joys of music-making. JF

Sound Quality: 90%

Hi-Fi News Lab Report

Full of energy, this 44.1kHz rendering would certainly have benefited from the extra bandwidth afforded by a 96kHz master. The difference between peak (red) and RMS (blue) spectra illustrates its adequate dynamic range. PM