Album Review

Ian Prowse – Who Loves Ya Baby

• 17th Mar 2014

Liverpudlian singer songwriter Ian Prowse has been around for more than twenty years now, primarily as front man with the bands Pele and now Amsterdam. Yet is seems surprising that this is actually his first album of solo material. A very successful PledgeMusic campaign secured the funds for recording costs and the end result is a good collection of twelve new songs.

There is a fair amount of variety in the album’s tracks, both in terms of sound and of the wide range of subject matter that Prowse takes inspiration from. Perhaps this tells us a lot about the man himself: the main influences being Liverpool, politics and family. Opening with a personal reflection on the birth of his daughter Rosaliita (named for the classic Springsteen track) the album’s initial tone is reflective. And this continues with Coming Up For Air, a song of escape which adds an Irish folk feel to lyrics telling of the need for space and new perspective.

I Did It For Love introduces a political tone, and Prowse does political songs very well. This one was inspired by Che Guevara and written as a homage to Gil Scott-Heron, and its strong drum beat and lovely melody work very well, although the repetition of the title is perhaps overdone late in the song. Lest We Forget, a slow lament for those lost in the First World War is beautiful and poignant while Empire uses a rock song to examine the legacy of Britain’s imperial past.

The closing pairing is perhaps the strongest part of the album. Raising Up The Clans was inspired by a march protesting against NHS cuts and its uptempo call to arms is inspiring. And the final track Six Factories is a chilling attack on Holocaust deniers, the factories of its title being concentration camps in Poland. Prowse produces a fine vocal performance here, his voice soaring yet also dripping with the raw emotion of his words.

Ian Prowse is clearly not afraid to tackle the big subjects or to make bold statements, and this feature of his songwriting gives real depth to his work. He adds smooth and at times impassionate vocals to some very good, yet simple, arrangements over these twelve tracks. Prowse still plays regularly with Amsterdam, but it is good to see him take time to explore his solo work too.

Venue: Who Loves Ya Baby
Support Band: IRL