Feral Ghost - 'Speed of Light'

In January, I declared the lead single “Say It’s Not Too Late” as my probable single of the year and 3 months later I’ve not changed my mind despite some strong contenders from Jason Sweeney, Chez Kane and Gary Hughes among others. It exemplifies the effortlessly cool talents of this impressive London-based six-piece band as they manage to weave classic British light-rock, pop, AOR and countrified Americana into a quietly brilliant 12 track offering.

The usual comparisons offered up for their music include Fleetwood Mac and The Eagles and that’s valid – they don’t sound that much like them but the six quality players mesh beautifully and create fabulous harmonies so it’s most likely that. On “Roll the Dice” you could probably add The Quireboys or other superior British bar-room bands, largely due to the piano work by Lisanne Otten. “It’s Been a Long Time My Friend” is a catchy, gentle acoustic number of the kind that gets a lot of attention these days before the seagulls introduce the laid-back West-Coast groove of “The Lighthouse”. Parts of this remind me of “The Boys of Summer” – possibly the underlying hypnotic keyboard and bass parts and, of course, the luscious vocal harmonies again.

There is a bit of romance running through the album too. “Love Will Find a Way” is probably the most loved-up, including a short but spot-on guitar solo, and it also features a bit of a Pink Floyd feel about it, as does “The Mirror” on which Chloe Hunter provides a female lead vocal. “Invisible” is a highlight (great guitar solo again), the title track is relentlessly upbeat, “Without a Trace” is haunting and the eccentric “Watch the World Go By” is the perfect soundtrack for doing just that.

Singer Danny Warwick is the main songwriter and it is so enjoyable to hear the depth in his music and lyrics brought to life by a band that gel together so tightly, both vocally and musically, with each player on top form but restraining themselves for the benefit of the group aesthetic. Swill their music round in your glass and your palate will pick up a variety of flavours – all of them delicious. It really is a vintage offering and it’s the way that the thoughtful lyrics, top-quality playing and especially the stunningly tasty harmonies blend together that make them a special brew.