Rise and Shine! - it's early days, as I've only had the album for a couple of weeks, but it's fair to say that Ian McLagan is offering up a richer, broader mix of styles and moods with every album. Underpinning all of his work is his first love, and mine, R & B music. I do detect a confident venturing into traditional American folk, and a justified one at that. The production is excellent and the playing energetic and polished.

On a couple of songs, in particular, Mac shows his prowess as a songwriter. The lyrics and the melodies on Date With An Angel and Rubies In Her Hair would grace any Faces' album, and the Hammond on the latter is reminiscent of his best moments with the Small Faces.

Bump Band at The Boardwalk in Sheffield - May 3, 2004

Mac balanced his set perfectly with a mix of old and new. My personal highlights were Date With An Angel, the stirring instrumental jam of Cindy Incidentally and the beautiful Glad and Sorry, preceded by a moving tribute to his friend, Ronnie Lane. He spoke with great reverence and respect and then got on with a brilliant show. With the band as a four piece this time round, it allowed the listener to appreciate the individual playing more than on the last tour, and Scrappy's playing was great.

Ian McLagan is sallying forth not only his own new music, but also has the audacity to sing and play songs by Marriot, Lane, Wood and Stewart. The thing is, he's assembled a band who play well together and look like they really enjoy being up there, so it's a challenge in which he succeeds admirably. He doesn't need broad shoulders to do it, just a love of entertaining and a great approach to his music, both past and present.

Get the album, get along to a Bump Band gig - you'll enjoy both.

©May 2004, Alex Galloway - North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland. Reproduced with permission.