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Martin Stephenson And The Daintees

California Star (Gonzo Multimedia)
Sunday 27 May 2012

It’s hard to place Martin Stephenson and the Daintees in any specific category. With a career spanning almost 30 years, the band have found themselves classified as rock, rockabilly, folk, pop and even country.

And their latest album California Star doesn't seem to fit easily into any of the above.

The opening track The Ship sounds like the backing song to a coffee advert while the last song I'm in Love For The First Time tampers with reggae.

Even if it's not your cup of tea, it's reasonably enjoyable and, in parts, quite pleasant. That's largely because of Stephenson's deep and husky voice delivery, but his soulful voice doesn't save some of the songs from being lyrically wet and cliched.

"You know how lucky you are to be a California star," goes the chorus of the title track.

Hmm.

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