Roddy Woomble – The Deluder

Roddy Woomble has gained a reputation in his solo work for being a bit of a folkie at heart but this fourth effort, The Deluder, sees him very much influenced by getting back with his erstwhile Idlewild bandmates for 2015’s Everything Ever Written. Gone are the fiddles and the stories of the land and in comes a darker element, although tunes like single Jupiter, written partly for and with his young son, are more playful and upbeat.

With solo records Woomble has permission to be more experimental and introspective. He usually takes his time over these albums too, but this was recorded in a month with all the same musicians giving it a more focussed feel. Woomble’s ear for melody is as sharp as ever, and jagged guitars make occasional appearances. The lyrics, by turns bleak and surreal, are to the fore and at times sound more spoken than sung.

Lead single Like Caruso muses on the first global superstar and is atmospheric and simply put together, hanging on Woomble’s voice and a smooth bassline. The Deluder is an album that will likely please fans of Idlewild more than fans of Woomble’s earlier solo work like My Secret is My Silence, but there’s a lot to like for both sets of fans. [Eala MacAlister]

Listen to: Jupiter, Like Caruso