Short Reviews [Mick Paul - 2021 - "Parallel Lives"]

Bassist Mick Paul has long been a member of the David Cross Band, and it is no surprise to see that in this solo album he has brought in a lot of friends such as Cross (1 track), David Jackson (1 track), Craig Blundell (2) and assorted other guests including the original keyboard player from David Cross Band, Sheila Maloney. Apparently, during the recording of the album ‘Another Day’ in 2015, with David Cross, David Jackson, and Craig Blundell he found there was a lot of material which felt more cohesive as a solo project rather than as band ideas, and this 2021 release is the result. That he is a wonderfully fluid bassist is never in doubt, and of course the musicianship of everyone involved is exemplary, but it is let down by the material and the vocals of Jinian Wilde. This is middle of the road prog which is just boring, and the vocals have little passion or emotion which means the result feels very flat indeed and as soon as a song finishes it is completely forgotten. Just because it is well played and well produced certainly does not mean there is something here to investigate, and when one keeps checking to see how many songs are left it is not a good thing. One to move rapidly past.