Daniel Woolhouse's two previous solo releases came under the "playful alias" of Deptford Goth but he obviously now feels in the mood to bare his soul and own his emotions rather than hide behind a manufactured identity.
All is not as it first seems, however. The eleven tracks may masquerade as soulful pop songs but the catchiness is misleading. While they bounce along with apparent brightness, there's no real lightness.
"At the well I lost my way", he sings on the gospel influenced opening track (Crazy Water) and seeking orientation in life is a broad theme of this album.
In discussing the record, the London-based singer songwriter has spoken of his struggles to make sense of what he calls "head chatter". You get the impression he is wishing he could see more clearly but is struggling to see through the gloom; "I quote through heavy fog" he sings on Map Of The Moon.
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Similarly, Graffiti finds him "searching for a miracle, something spiritual" and he sounds like a desolate Thom Yorke on Skeleton grimly contemplating the significance of a deserted house, empty garden and lonely road.
Elsewhere, Woolhouse reflects on "doing bad impressions of myself" (What's That Sound?) and having a "face like a rain cloud" (Dreamt I Was A Ceramicist Too).
Enjoyment of this record depends on how far you can empathize with the singer's plight. There are glimmers of hope but the overall mood is fairly bleak as the perspective swings between misery and mystery.
Daniel Woolhouse's website
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