Coincidentally two recent reviews of albums featuring a man and his guitar but very different projects.

A Proliferation Of Pointlessness from John Reed may just be his last as sales haven’t been as expected but if sadly it is, then it’s great way to go out.

Such a shame that a determinedly independent artist making music away from the mainstream social media and the industry can’t get his music heard.

These are songs of protest, despair and no little anger. The vocals are clear and strong but with the lyrical themes, I would have been happy for them to get a bit ragged at times – a howl of indignation or a shout of rage maybe.

By layering up different guitars (acoustic and electric) on different tracks, the album avoids the pitfall of the tracks merging into each other as the Phil Cooper album did.

Of the more traditional acoustic songs, Maverick is my favourite with some fantastic lyrics.  “Is it me who is the maverick, expecting far too much?”

I particularly enjoy the closing one-two punch of The Hill Country and Project Freedom. This is my type of folk – Urgent, meaningful, spoiling for a fight.

Might just be me but Project Freedom strikes me as a very Fish like song and hopefully that is taken as a compliment.

A really good album for those willing to step off the beaten path and take a chance.