Daniel Wylie & Cosmic Rough Riders - The Very Best Of

Choice cuts from 10 years of pop glory

Sun-kissed California pop vibes have never been the exclusive domain of musos who call the Sunshine State home. Indeed, should Santa Monica ever be looking for a twin town it could do a lot worse than settling for the Glasgow of Teenage Fanclub, BMX Bandits and a certain Mr Wylie. Less celebrated than his contemporaries he may be, but the Cosmic Rough Riders figurehead is arguably even more imbued with the spirit of The Byrds and Burritos.

Yet for every McGuinn-friendly dappled strum such as Move In With Me or Unwind, Wylie offers much which feels closer to home. The psych-lite of The Gun Isn’t Loaded is a trance-like two-step between Syd Barrett and Donovan, while Glastonbury Revisited is the sort of vibey comedown anthem that touches base with Dodgy, Richard Thompson and early Marc Bolan.

It’s as derivative as hell, of course, with every single one of the 20 tracks on this compilation prompting a niggling remembrance of songs and singers past, but Wylie is unapologetic throughout, whether he’s channelling Neil Diamond (Baby You’re So Free) or Jonathan Richman (Melanie). What shines through is a smart pop brain and a happy heart, dressed up in the sweetest melodies known to man.

4 stars 4 stars 4 stars 4 stars

Neon Tetra | TETRA 011

Reviewed by Terry Staunton
<< Back to Issue 347

Login Here