Alan Mair is technically best known as the founding bassist and driving force behind Scottish post-punk pioneers The Only Ones. However, Alan has long been a legendary figure within the UK rock music industry in his own right – we’ve reviewed his solo music several times, covering the single If I Gave The World A Turn in one of our post-rock round-up reviews. His new solo album, Field Of One, features 12 killer tracks, seeing Mair step squarely into the spotlight as the primary songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer on the record. It’s a pretty unique listen, as Alan manages to mix together moments of alternative rock with a classic sense of pop/rock craftsmanship, offering a deeply personal and resonant collection of songs for the listener.
By Jane Howkins
The album kicks off properly with opener Ghost Of You In Me, which serves to establish the brooding yet melodic musical foundation of the record from the very start. The pulsing basslines and huge drum beats add something of an industrial feel at times, making for an extremely atmospheric listen to start off with. Next, we shift gears into Nothing Is Impossible, which somewhat lifts the mood, due to its driving bassline and bright rhythm work. Alan’s voice is a little reminiscent of Bono’s here, and you can definitely hear a U2 influence across the album, although it’s particularly prominent on this catchy power-pop number.
The Devil’s Porridge changes things up yet again, this time starting out with a doomy guitar melody that soon develops into a dark groove, hinting more at the alternative rock scene of the ’90s. The heavy, churning guitar riff and the sharp rhythmic phrasing that follows it helps to inject a dose of gritty bite into the front half of Field of One. Next song In The River is a little gentler in some senses, as it lacks the brooding vibe of the previous tune. However, the synths and rhythm are still a little haunting to behold, this time seeing Alan creating a song inspired by the ’80s electronic music scene. The beat and tempo stay largely the same throughout, but there’s a lot more going on in the background than first meets the ear.
Stairway To Hell is another song with an 80s feel, but it also sees Alan pivoting back to the classic rock and roll swagger he does so well, pairing a cool guitar groove with a clever lyrical bite. The dual guitar textures crunch along nicely with the synths and rhythm section, injecting a shot of pure, unadulterated energy right into your ears. Lead single How Could I Let This Happen serves as a central pillar of the record, using themes of regret and honest self-reflection to create something that really gets underneath your skin in no time. The music is great throughout this killer tune, but I loved the changes on the soaring singalong chorus, which elevates the track greatly.
If I Gave The World A Turn is another stand-out number from Field of One, shining a bright light on Mair’s melodic pop-rock instincts. The track features a selection of pretty lead guitar lines, which manage to trade space with the tight vocal harmonies on offer here to handcraft an anthemic piece of music that lingers long after the final chord. On This Earth opens with a proper stomp of a rhythm, delivering a strong, acoustic song arrangement with a catchy chorus full of hooks. Stripping back the production noise, Alan’s raw vocal delivery takes centre stage on this thoughtful meditation into the value of human connection.
Eyes To The Sky is a little different yet again, lifting the tempo back up again by using a selection of shimmering synths, alongside a steady percussive beat and some driving basslines and guitar chords. There’s very much a classic rock edge to the song, but it’s also much more than that, truly displaying Alan’s talent off to the world. We then come to another fantastic deep cut from the album’s back half, titled This Life. The song creates a punchy, mid-tempo groove that seems to reflect on the passing of time from a lyrical perspective. The guitar chords sound great here, showing some rich instrumental layering and a steady, pounding drum beat that adds a confident and reassuring pulse to the song – it’s absolutely full of swagger and rock and roll attitude!
However, Side By Side slows things down once more – it’s actually one of the poppiest songs on Field Of One. The track sounds extremely warm altogether, using some pretty, jangly guitar melodies, before building the music up into a calmly, reflective chorus. Closing this brilliant collection of songs out is Four Winds, another slightly more experimental track that brings the album to a satisfying close. The bass and guitars sound really cool here – once mixed with the synths, it’s clear that this eccentric sounding tune is the perfect closer for Field Of One, as it nicely wraps up the overarching lyrical themes found within the album as a whole.
As you’ve probably guessed by now, Field Of One is a thoroughly rewarding and accomplished album release for Alan Mair that really manages to underscore his enduring talent as a musician and songwriter. By pairing his previous post-punk lineage with a refined form of candid alt-rock, Alan has created an album that feels particularly seasoned, although I understand it won’t be for everyone. Why not give it a try below though?
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