Paul Heaton – Presents: The 8th

From the live debut of Bjork’s Biophilia to an Amadou and Mariam gig performed in a pitch-black venue, the 2011 Manchester International Festival hosted its fair share of unique musical events. Amongst its eclectic programme were a brace of narrative pieces by figures better known for their pop work: Damon Albarn’s Doctor Dee and Paul Heaton’s The 8th. Albarn’s opera got all the column inches, but it’s Heaton’s opus that makes for the more enjoyable album.

A DVD of the event is included, but appreciation doesn’t require visuals: the songs have replay value in themselves; the guest vocalists (including King Creosote and ex-Beautiful South singer Jacqui Abbot) are characterful; and the embedded theatrical monologue – written by playwright Che Walker – proves genuinely moving even on repeat listens, thanks to The Wire’s Reg E Cathey’s impassioned reading. While stabs at profundity fall flat, any slight stumbles are righted by the project’s cohesion and humour.