Recorded in 2004 at Front2Back Studios in Sussex and Moonstone
Studios in Malmsbury with production by Simon Goodall and Dave Bankhead.
Review Cross Rhythms Magazine issue 84
Score - 9/10
Rob Halligan last graced these review pages as
frontman for Coventry-based rock band Goldsmiths. That was a while
ago and these days you're more likely to find Rob out there playing
live strumming an acoustic guitar and singing some of the excellent
songs captured here. No doubting that he's a fine songwriter with
a neat turn of phrase, a poignant thought and a catchy tune and
for this album, he's employed Simon Goodall as producer. The result
is a well constructed collection of songs featuring the cream
of British Christian sessioners. Highlights include the folky
title track which sees Rob reminiscing about his troubled younger
life. "Jesus To the World" is a dramatic gritty challenge
for the Church to reach out to others. Two songs were written
as a response to 9/11 when his father died in the World Trade
Centre. "Stand Together" is a song of hope in the midst
of tragedy and a rallying call that has since been updated on
a charity single raising money for Tsunami victims. "Streets
Of This Town" is a more personal response to his father dying
after a trip to New York for the memorial service in mid-September
2001 with images of a city and a heart in pain looking upwards
for some answers.
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DANCING WITH SEAGULLS
Good songwriting. Lovely melodies. The chourus is wonderful. And
the lyrics are very well written. - Guy Mitchetti, Mixposure
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This indy release from UK singer/songwriter Rob Halligan (not
to be confused with Ceili Rain’s Bob Halligan) is a pleasant
and welcome musical treat. Halligan has one of those cool British
singing voices that help provide a nice framework for this batch
of solid acoustic/gentle electric pop/folk/rock treats. Seagulls
features several high-points that will have you singing and strumming:
“Sail Away” highlights Halligan’s vocals a very
nifty vocal crescendo ala’ James Blunt (without Blunt’s
overindulgent tendencies), the gentle anthem “Who Am I,”
the ringing challenge of “Jesus to the World,” and the
final cut “Innocence” that features Halligan on vocal
accompanied solely by an electric guitar for a unique twist. Dancing
with the Seagulls is a collection of tunes that will appeal to
aficionados of intelligent acoustic folk pop-rock…fans of
John Mayer, Jeff Buckley, VOL, and Bill Bragg will enjoy this.
DJ Barry 3/5/2006 - The Phantom Tollbooth
Barry Nothstine hosts Soul Frequency (http://www.soulfrequency.com
) a weekly FM radio show showcasing progressive rock, instrumental
rock, power-pop, psychedelic rock, rock classics and more—great
rock for the ages!
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