Robert Vincent

Fine debut, from the man they call the "Scouse Springsteen"

Robert Vincent’s 2012 EP ‘The Bomb’ gave notice on an impressive new voice on the UK Americana circuit. A long suffering artistic soul, who having paid enough dues in various musical incarnations, had found his true voice and vocation in stripping everything back to the bare bones of the pure song, and writing honest thoughtful paeans about everyday love, loss and multitude of dangerous bruises and lessons learned in-between..

Vincent’s voice is passionate, but with subtlety and melodic poise, and is wholly convincing in his role as the love-beaten troubadour with a ray of hope in his heart. Occasionally there’s a Paul Carrick soul cadence there, but there’s impressive adaptability in his vocal talents to master the more weather-worn strain that graces the likes of the beautiful ‘Heaven Knows’.

Vincent draws mostly on various sonic shades of classic country, but also folk and pop, but the material is always strong. The truly gorgeous, breeze-gentle country of ‘Burning Like Cotton In The Fields’ possesses a warm and healing quality with its lead lines and slide guitar gliding along with Vincent’s melody, while conversely, ‘Riot’s Cry’ achieves a totally different feel, with Vincent’s clipped holler in his higher register over a 70s inspired brooding rock rumble. ‘Light of the Stars’ possesses a loping Ryan Adams-esque acquaintance with melodic and tender heartbreak, whilst the folky pop of ‘Blue’ and the piano ballad ‘Second Chance’ display Vincent’s more polished side; and while the songs may have a sting in the tail, they sport a sheen that should easily welcome a wide appeal. The title track’s Cash-like shuffling rhythm is one of many highlights here. Vincent’s questioning and yearning for guidance and direction is clear, but its resigned to not quite achieving it yet, and charts the emotional core of the whole record. The repeat button on your music player of choice will be of great use to you here.

The rather lazy tag of the ‘Scouse Springsteen’ from some quarters doesn’t really stick on this evidence though; only in that believable passion and engaging honesty that seeps from these songs. There’s little in the way of bombast, however, the tag is misguided mainly because Vincent is far more adaptable than that comparison suggests. Yes his narratives are personal but tap into universal landscape of private heartache and pain; picking yourself up after the fall, marching on despite life’s bitter knowledge and tough blows - A rare talent in itself, but Robert Vincent is not walking in anybody’s shadow here.

The initial release of the album comes in a wonderfully luxurious hardcover book-style package that has had a lot of thought and care applied to it, just like the music, but there’s also a bonus four track EP of equally strong material included to further sweeten the deal. Free of cliché or pretence, already Vincent might well have delivered one of the most convincing, genuinely impressive ‘Americana’ albums these shores have managed to produce. Highly recommended. - Americana UK

Robert Vincent is one of the great acoustic artists playing in Liverpool right now. He also has been very busy in recent months, so busy that it makes you wonder when he finds time to catch his breath, let alone do any recording. Aside from getting ready to unleash his new album, Life In Easy Steps, he has been interviewed by the London press and those whose musical knowledge is second to none.

The reason why he is so popular is easy to see as soon as he steps foot on stage and at the Unity Theatre, his music is infectious and it really gets beneath the skin. No matter the mood you may be experiencing as you sit and wait patiently for the music to start, he will lift your spirits with a voice that oozes sentiment, knowing and kindness. A rare feat in this day and age and no wonder that he was quite rightly nominated as part of the inaugural Liverpool Music Awards last year.

Robert Vincent was accompanied by the excellent Emily Jackson on keys and the talented Michael Gay on guitar and with all three combining to give the audience a good start to their evening, it was a night that was just simply beautiful.

Opening the evening with denial and the excellent Light of the Star, the music was heartfelt and sublime. Even if you have only caught the musician on his own or with the accompanying double bass player, this set was made special with inclusion of Emily Jackson who played the keyboard as if she was cradling the most sensitive of souls. It was a sight to behold.

Amongst other songs to be played on the night was the superb Blue, the title track of the new album Life In Easy Steps, the excellent The Passage before finishing of a 40 minute set with the outrageously good Demons.

A wonderful way for the Unity Theatre to see in their highly enjoyable music nights and in Robert Vincent they picked a real music star to kick 2013 off. - Liverpool Acoustic

It may seem incredible to some, but to those who truly get Robert Vincent, who have listened to the man and his album Life In Easy Steps and who have watched with awe and a bucket load of wonder at the tremendous talent that resides in the body of a music giant in the making, nothing really should ever come as a surprise. Whether performing at Leaf, The Unity Theatre and Camp and Furnace in Liverpool or out on the road supporting the legendary Paul Carrack for a few months, Rob Vincent is a performer who can make a jaw audibly drop from 30 feet in stunned appreciation.

Back home in Liverpool he comes out on stage at the Philharmonic Hall, supported by some of the musicians who have been right alongside him on this staggering journey, Mr. Vincent takes yet another step forward in wowing a huge crowd. The atmosphere is just right, the lights are dimmed, an imposing shadow forms eerily on the back wall as if bought about by the spell of fine music to come and in six short songs, Robert Vincent and the band take some old favourites out for a stroll in amongst a crowd that in short didn’t know what hit them.

Like so many of his fellow musicians in Liverpool, Robert disarms the audience, not with an overriding sense of power or uncalled for burgeoning of strength but with wit, charm the soft velvet voice and passionate lyrics delivered in the hand of an iron glove. The lyrics and the mood are delivered perfectly and always with a keen sense of understanding that the crowd need to be entertained, such is their right of course. This is also with the knowledge that if the crowd really listens and doesn’t completely have their head tuned into another act yet to take the stage, then they too will get the message being presented like an unexpected bouquet of roses arriving at your door with just a solitary x in the card.

With just enough time to perform six songs, Robert Vincent and the band performed such tracks as Blue, Burns, the fantastic Life In Easy Steps, The Bomb and the superb Demons with quiet assurance and with a few new converts nodding their head in approval.

It is always good to have Robert Vincent back in Liverpool and doing what he does best; life really does seem to drag when he and others like him are not around to thrill an audience or two. - Liverpool Sound and Vision