Paul McClure - Smiling From The Floor Up

If you are looking for an album of well written delicately sung songs then look no further!!!!

Paul McClure is a talented singer/songwriter from Rutland. His third solo album SMILING FROM THE FLOOR UP features ten songs that speak to listeners through their lyrics and gentle vocals. Long Gone Out Of Here has a wonderful acoustic sound. A great opening track this song is lyrically strong and puts plenty of emphasis on Paul’s wonderful vocals. There is a unique rawness to Paul’s voice, which hasn’t been erased by production. Pollyanna is a quirky song, which blends a touch of blues with Paul’s more traditional acoustic sound. The lyrics tell an interesting story, which is quite dark and twisted. Listening to this song I feel like I am immersed in an episode of Twin Peaks. Hannah Elton-Wall harmonises on the vocals giving the song a ghostly haunting sound. This song certainly lures you in for a much closer listen. Lost And Found is a slightly more up-tempo song with a strong beat. For You sees the pace slow once again. This is a delightful song, which puts all the emphasis on Paul’s heady vocals. More of a ballad this song is reminiscent of James Taylor in his hey day. Any Number You Like (As Long As Its Four) seems the album take a complete change of tempo. This is a rousing sing a long song with the piano taking pride of place. Song 6 is a gentle lyrically driven song. The lyrics are expressive yet quite simplistic. A charming song that goes to show less is quite often more! Keep It Together has echoes of James Taylor once again. Another vocally driven acoustic song that is classy but not over done. The injection of the female harmony gives the song added depth. Hannah Elton-Wall’s vocals blend perfectly with Paul’s creating a wonderful atmospheric sound. The title song Smiling From The Floor Up features some stunning instrumentation provided by Joe Bennett on the lap steel. This is a really laid back acoustic song infused with a slight hint of blues. Although this is a rather short song it is still breath taking and leaves you as a listener wanting to hear more. Lola Rose is a quirky old fashioned sounding song featuring a huge array of instrumentation. The album ends on a strong note with another lyrically driven slow song Moments Lost. This song has poignant lyrics that are both emotive and magical. Quite a sad song to end on but also one that makes you ponder and think about your own life. All those precious moments that you have squandered and all those significant events you witnessed but will never get the chance to see again. These lyrics are raw and powerful yet come across as simple and unrefined. All ten songs on this album are obviously written from the heart and sung with grace.  Paul’s voice is tender and captivating always luring the listener in. A beautiful mix of heady acoustic ballads and quirky original songs.  The highlights are almost too numerous to mention but there are two stand out songs on this album Pollyanna and Moments Lost. Paul is not only a great vocalist as evidenced here he is also a genius with words. His lyrics read like poetry or dark twisted stories. All in all this is a wonderful example of good acoustic music written and sung well.