Chris Difford - The Last Temptation Of Chris

The view from the kitchen sink

The witty mock-up of a familiar Tony Hancock image on the cover, and the inclusion of a song called Julian & Sandy (the camp duo from 60s radio’s Round The Horne), would indicate that Difford’s first album of new material for five years is an exercise in nostalgia. But while several tracks hark back to a childhood past (not necessarily Chris’ own), they’re not always fond remembrances.

Battersea Boys, Broken Family and My Mother’s Handbag all have sepia-toned recollections at their hearts, ranging from the bittersweet to the plainly harrowing. Difford’s eye for detail is as impressive as during Squeeze’s golden years, whether describing the thud of roast potatoes onto a Sunday dinner plate or the thumping a “poof” choirboy receives from his alcoholic dad. He’s equally evocative when cataloguing grown-up woes, such as the shame of being a kept man (Come On Down) or the guilt of sleeping with someone else’s wife (The Other Man).

Musically, the bulk of the record boasts an Anglo-country strum, largely the handiwork of co-writer Boo Hewerdine, a collaborator as intuitive and as sympathetic as Glenn Tilbrook ever was. The real surprise is Difford’s subtle voice, an eloquent half-whisper a million miles removed from Cool For Cats’ croak and drone.

4 stars 4 stars 4 stars 4 stars

Stiff | CDSEEZ 072

Reviewed by Terry Staunton
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