Guest List

Personnel: Martin Belmont (vocals, guitar, acoustic 12-string guitar, lap steel guitar); Graham Parker (vocals, guitar, harp); Reg Meuross, Nick Lowe (vocals, acoustic guitar); Sean Tyla (vocals, electric guitar); Geraint Watkins (vocals, piano, keyboards); Paul Carrack (vocals, piano); Hank Wangford, Carlene Carter (vocals); Bob Loveday (mandolin, recorder); Howard Hughes (piano, Wurlitzer organ, keyboards, background vocals); Neil Brockbank (organ); Matt Radford (double bass); Roy Dodds (drums, percussion); Robert Trehern (tambourine, background vocals); Sterling Roswell, Linnea Svensson (background vocals).
Recording information: Goldtop Studios (??/2006-02/2009); Howard's Living Room (??/2006-02/2009); Roy's Kitchen (??/2006-02/2009); Sammi's Basement (??/2006-02/2009).
Photographer: Chris Gavin.
Martin Belmont is best-known as a guitar-slinger, playing lead for Ducks Deluxe, Graham Parker's the Rumour, and Nick Lowe's Cowboy Outfit, so the idea of him playing the same role on his 2009 solo album, The Guest List, is an inspired one. Here, he brings in all his old colleagues and running mates to sing a song, ceding the spotlight to Graham, Nick, Paul Carrack, Sean Tyla, Geraint Watkins, and a host of other old pub rockers, every so often granting himself a solo spotlight for a Hank Marvin-styled instrumental, including a nice spin on Elvis Costello's "Alison." The sound and style shift from track to track -- Tyla revs up the reggae, Lowe settles into his comfortable groove on "A Man in Love," Parker snarls on "In the Midnight Hour" -- but everything is within the same rootsy universe, and it's all delivered with an understated but winning touch. Instead of a long night out on the tiles, it's a quick round with old friends on a Sunday afternoon at the local pub, and that's pretty appealing, too. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine