Jim Reilly

Reilly previously fronted a band called the New Dylans, and my immediate reaction to hearing this, his first solo album, was to send a copy to Jakob Dylan with a note saying, "This is what the Wallflowers are supposed to sound like.” Reilly still can’t hide his main influence — "Bitter Green Blue” in particular reveals the deliberate Blonde On Blonde flavour prevalent throughout — but by being so honest about it, Reilly has somehow crafted an irresistible roots rock sound, while, by comparison, Wallflowers records remain cold. What ultimately makes or breaks every song is Reilly’s lyrics, and overall his barrage of words maintains a high standard of poetry (for rock at least). Reilly was prepared to deflect critics when he chose the name of his former band, but if there is any point in calling someone a "new Dylan” anymore, Reilly certainly fits the bill, in the best possible sense.