Call this one, “slipped through the cracks” – as Powerpop Station blog found this one I missed. Any Version of Me is a mystery man from Paris, France. I am not fluent in French, but his music speaks volumes. “The Good Old Days” seems to me a seamless blend of Brian Wilson and Gilbert O’Sullivan with a touch of Colin Blunstone (Zombies). The touchstone here is Pet Sounds/Abbey Road production (using vintage instruments), with “More” it also recalls a gentle late 60’s songwriting style that touches pop greatness. The vocal on the lonely ballad “Tonight” has a soaring falsetto that makes it work similar to Eric Carmen doing Ziggy Stardust. The next several tracks wander into Herman’s Hermits territory, which isn’t a bad thing, but it fails to generate the excitement of the earlier tracks. “Something’s Gonna Happen” is a fun baroque sixties throwback a la The Parade, but the next track “Take Some Time” is a well written and original Beatlesque gem. And the ending track, “All I Will Keep From You” even ends with a Beach Boys multi-part harmony fade out. Some fans may think this album too derivative (which is true) but it has enough original songwriting to carry it through to highly recommended status. The entire album is streaming below and on the Any Version Of Me web site he is giving visitors a FREE single download “Don’t Fall My Friend.” Now that’s just smart marketing.
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Thanks for the recommendation. I had never heard of him before and really like what I have heard. Thanks! Patrick