By his own admission, Phil Hooley is something of a late bloomer. Having been a founder member of The Woolgatherers, and playing countless gigs in halls, bars, and festivals over the years, this is Phil’s first foray into solo territory, and a fine effort it is too.
Following a fortunate meeting of minds on social media, Hooley teamed up with Nashville-based producer and drummer Justin Johnson. The resulting ‘Songs From The Back Room’ was recorded in lockdown in Hooley’s hometown of Scarborough, England.
Sounding like a world-weary Willie Nelson at times, the strength in the album lies in the superior song writing. ‘Midasville’ is a case in point:
Janey works the diner, clearing all the trays like some desolation angel smiling through her day. The cowboys from Midasville all think they have the touch but nothing here glitters anymore, at least not very much. So wake me up when it’s over. I’m here against my will and it’s a bitter pill to swallow, living here in Midasville.
‘Midasville’ is the standout cut, but others such as ‘Learning To Be Still’, ‘Come On Home’, and the touching ‘It’s Time We Said Goodbye’, run it close. The music is restrained, kicking in with a little violin, or keyboard to add colour when needed.
A fine supporting band includes Justin Johnson, Ben Smith, Robert Vincent, Andrea Zoon, and Simon Goulding. Scott Poley adds lovely pedal steel on several songs, particularly on ‘Mystery’.
Clearly influenced by the likes of Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clarke, the songs are populated by succinct, little caricatures of people Hooley has watched in real life. He adds a little background and colour of his own, and some artistic licence to add depth to these little short stories.
While ‘Songs From The Back Room’ is a little one-paced, there is plenty to admire here. Phil Hooley may be late to the party in terms of having his name on an album but it will be intriguing to see what he does next.