Pete Molinari - A Virtual Landslide

Hailing from the Medway Delta in North Kent, Pete Molinari is billed by his record company as a country blues genius. From the outset it's clear that this troubadour's voice will divide music fans just as Bob Dylan's has all these years: imagine Dylan merged with Patsy Cline and Roy Orbison and you're on the right road. Molinari is clearly indebted to the old masters in many ways, not least in terms of his lyrics and phrasing; you only need to lend an ear to I Came Out Of The Wilderness or Look What I Made Out Of My Head Ma – two of the album's strongest songs – for evidence of this notion. But this is nevertheless a beguiling collection that transports you to another place and time completely. If Richard Hawley can hit the jackpot with his retro crooning, there's no reason why this musical throwback can't break through to the mainstream in a big way. [Graeme Blaikie]