Dougie Crosbie
Album: Choices & Ambitions
Label: Self Released
Tracks: 4
Website: http://www.dougiecrosbie.com

I'm not sure what I was expecting when I first put "Choices And Ambitions" on the cd player, perhaps something with more of a punk, new wave, certainly more aggressive aspect, which just goes to prove the old adage about covers and judgement.

Dougie Crosbie's first line on, "Choices And Ambitions" is "A memory is the easiest place to hide those things that you don't want people to find." The song "Always Hangin" coming at walking pace in a rag time influenced sound, simple guitar chords and barroom piano via Stevie Law. From that moment, I knew that I was going to get on with Dougie.

Crosbie has a sound that is a bit of a throwback to the last days of the pub singer, when pubs still had a piano bar alongside of which he's added his guitar. This is not music from the era where locals would gather around the old Joanna for a singsong, this is more from the time when the influence of the jukebox was starting to creep in, when the singer/pianist would sing songs more affected by the pop songs that were just starting to get radio play.

Crosbie has both voice and style that would cut across the general hubbub, the fug of cigarette smoke, to the guy at the back, pint of black and tan in hand, whisky chaser on the table. It gives him a sound that you don't hear much these days, one with a certain intimacy, but at the same time there to be shared.

It does have a slightly nostalgic feel to it, but importantly doesn't sound dated. "Choices And Ambitions" is a great introduction to the works of Dougie Crosbie and one that will definitely encourage me to look out for the album.

Neil King