I knew I was going to like this cd before I even played past the first track, such was the strength of the single ‘Trying To Help You Out’, I could not know however, just how much I was going to love it.
As with most albums I have my favourite tracks, though I couldn’t listen to the cd without every song, because together they become something more than just a collection. Despite the fact that this is such a diverse gathering of songs, or maybe because of it, ‘Hearts On Parade’ is something very special indeed, and grows on you more and more with every listen. This confluence of vocals, writing, musicianship and production, each at the peak of their craft, shows what true artistry can be achieved without the interference of a label. It’s artists allowed to be just that and, while it’s wonderful, it’s also slightly disheartening when you consider how great some other musicians COULD be with the same lack of dilution. Let’s not dwell on that though, it could be much worse, Arrison could have decided to go into something other than music.
From the soaring guitars of ‘Trying To Help You Out’, through the hauntingly beautiful ‘Serenade’ and ‘Caged Bird’, ‘Hearts On Parade’ has everything. A strong title track, a ‘don’t mess with my man’ barstool anthem (‘Little Miss Plastic’), and a bittersweet reminiscence of growing up and first crushes (‘Walk Me Home’), it’s all here.
If you’re looking for a pitch-perfect pop album, look no further, ‘Hearts On Parade’ is the kind of cd you hope your little girl will want to play out, the kind you’ll have in your car stereo ’till it’s worn out, and most definitely the kind which will have a play-count at the higher end of the scale in iTunes. Load it into your mp3 player and go for a long walk. You won’t ever look back.
