Stephen Fretwell - Now

The second single to be lifted from Stephen Fretwell's second album, Man On The Roof, is disappointingly generic singer-songwriter fare that does not follow up on the promise of his Magpie material. Granted, Now is head and shoulders above many of the MOR ballads that clog up the airwaves these days - it's a well-crafted tune, Fretwell's singing is quite affecting and the whole thing ambles along nicely enough - but ultimately it all sounds a little too derivative. Why this track was released when there are arguably more worthy tracks on the album is a mystery. Don't let this put you off exploring Fretwell's more interesting side. [Graeme Blaikie]