Edward Rogers is an oddly positioned singer-songwriter of a type only Britain can produce. On Sparkle Lane, his third album, he pens imaginative, well-arranged songs that straddle folk-rock, Kinks-style pop and Bowie-style glam. One minute the listener is channelling Mott the Hoople in the wonderful title track, the next brings rolling modern folk like the pointed ‘Land of the Free’. Rogers’ vocal style varies with the songs, which is interesting in an era when distinctive voices reign. The arrangements are energetic and Rogers’ lyrics, of Costello ilk, are delightful. Additional highlights include the gentle singalong ‘Little Angel’ and the reflective ‘Last of the Artful Dodgers’.
Distinctive, mildly oddball Brit singer-songwriter magic. 3 stars.