Stephen Solo is a genius

I would normally title a review about a new album with the album title, but given that Pii 3 is the final in an outstanding trilogy of exceptional pop music, I felt the need to declare loudly and proudly that Stephen Solo, AKA Stephen Farrell, is a genius.

I have suspected this for some time, however after revisiting Pii and Pii 2 back to back over the weekend and Pii 3 numerous times, I am confident that I have enough evidence to shout this to the world. Check them out to see if you agree.

Both of the first two albums have aged well. You notice and appreciate the layers, melodies, imagination, voice and lyrics more in time. Solo is certainly eccentric, but that is just part of his charm, listen to the trilogy and you'll find a deep, soulful, intelligent songwriter, musician, artist, arranger and producer.

The trilogy has songs that discuss and confront love, birth, parenthood, aspiration, reality - often grim, the use of humour to get by, getting older, relationships, escapism ... the way Solo portrays his thoughts, dreams, fears and the dark reaches of his mind is unique.

Crying Because from Pii

One of the most beautiful, fragile, tender and imaginative songs I know 

The Pii trilogy started with Stephen getting an iPhone and downloading all kinds of apps to create music. Freed from having to fund studio time to record he let his imagination and creative nature run riot, producing fragile beauties, cinematic wonders, synth sensations and clever craziness.

Some songs will jump out on first listen, others will reveal their true worth with patience, but dig deep and you’ll find Albarn-seque melodies, Beatles-y harmonies and sonic adventurousness.

You'll find out more about how Stephen writes and records in a forthcoming podcast interview I have planned with him. 

Photo by Brian Sweeney

On to Pii 3.

I Ate A Motorcycle was the lead single for the album. If the title doesn't generate your interest then the flow and melodies soon will. The way this song changes and flows from 2-minutes in is simply magical, the way Solo plays with the melody and phrasing, introducing sprinkling synths is joyful.

I am more than human

I am more than a machine

Suddenly Heaven has a stunning melody over an 80’s groove with Solo showing off all of his vocal powers. This is sensational, the song lifts and soars with ease. This is real grown up pop music with Solo admitting to himself and anyone listening that he loves time alone away from work, stress, family, bills and reality. If I'm backing up the title of this blog, then this song is near the top of my evidence.

I feel more human, when I get to be on my own

Storm Chaser is kind of psychedelic Flaming Lips with Freddie Mercury on vocals with the beautiful line when the thunder comes she'll chase the storm.

The song titled Sweetest Melody jumped to my attention as this is a guy who knows a melody. It is gentle, soothing, becoming Beatles-y, dreamy and like it could be from a musical. 

Reasons to Run is my current favourite from Pii 3. Solo’s ability to take a song on a new direction at ease is evident a number of times throughout this song, almost going into a rap at one point. It is magical inventive pop music and listen to that voice analysing change in a relationship but declaring;

I will always, always run to you

For the same old reasons

Hold Music continues a theme throughout the trilogy of Solo finding humour and art in every day frustrations. Music is his escape from reality, but he portrays reality in a Limmy-esque way at times.

The Beatles and The Beach Boys crossed with Gorillaz is my attempt to describe Something Like Nothing Like Love. I marvel at the structure, lead vocals and harmonies. Everything is Solo.

Stars on Tape is a fragile gem that seems to be sprinkled with magical fairy dust. It has a dreamlike quality, it could be a lullaby. It is utterly stunning.

Block Out The Sun begins with a piano melody that sounds instantly classic. This should be picked up for a film or TV show. My heart melts when Solo soars amidst Beatles-y backing vocals. This is 5 minutes that to me highlights how good Stephen Solo is. The way everything breaks down and takes a twist halfway through is again like something from a musical.

The Dark Web could be a title for a book, TV show or film. Here is the theme tune. Dark, experimental, crazy, but with yet another soaring chorus. There is another glorious change in pace in this song with a Drive style bass introduced. 

The closing The Digital Dead brought tears to my eyes on first listen, the way Solo revisits Behind Your Eyes is tender and gorgeous, singing about his son in the most beautiful way, before ending the Pii trilogy the way it began. The final melancholic melody will melt your heart.

And though sunlight kisses your hair

We are the digital, digital, digital, dead

Behind your eyes I'll be waiting

We are the digital, digital, digital dead

Stephen Solo is a genius. Assess the evidence.

The Pii trilogy is available digitally via all the usual platforms.

Pii 2

2016 was a good year for albums, I had a number of contenders vying for the 'accolade' of my favourite album of the year - in the end it was Pii by Stephen Solo that won through. An eclectic eccentric album recorded on an iPhone 6 taking in sublime Albarn-esque melodies, Boards of Canada soundscapes, a song that was like a Limmy sketch, imagination and experiments.

Pii 2 has also been recorded completely on an iPhone and it is a psychedelic, melodic, imaginative, crazy, melancholic beauty.

Check it out for yourself on Spotify.

The freedom of being able to record on the hop, not having to book or finance a recording studio and having a supportive label that has a ready made audience and is as interested in the people they work with as the music they release, allows experimentation and creativity - something sadly lacking from a lot of music these days.

Songs were recorded in the work car park, the living room, the laundry cupboard and one - the stunning No Pill For What I've Got in the bath.

Other standouts for me include LocoCoco, the sublime Think Strange, the fragile Secrets You Keep and the glorious flowing Slipstream. Then the closing quartet of David Bowie Never Had To (more on this later), iPhone psychedelia on Can't Wait, the aforementioned No Pill For What I've Got and the beautiful touching Bye Bye Song featuring Stephen's son.

Pii was written around the birth of Stephen's first son, Pii 2 around the birth of his second. This isn't a pattern he sees continuing, but he did take a unique approach to recording the 'difficult' second album - recording that, ditching it and then writing and recording the joyous 3rd 'comeback' album.

The debut album was released on a USB credit card, the follow up is out today on a USB cassette tape! You can also download from iTunes or stream on Spotify. If you like it, then buy a super cool USB cassette via www.lastnightfromglasgow.com

Internet Song starts off with a mood of clever insanity before verging off into dreamy gorgeousness. Solo (real name Farrell) can seemingly pluck a melody from thin air and when the chorus comes in it can take you somewhere special.

Feel like I'm glowing

When you're downloading

Feel like I'm floating

When I'm uploading

How does he do it? LocoCoco captures attention immediately, the melody, the voice, the backing vocals, the hooks - it does all seem effortless. Check the switch into this section of the song - sensational!!!!!

I'm tired

From feeling that I got nobody to talk to

I'm wired

From punching the clock cause it never stops

It never stops at all

A psychedelic guitar riff picked out over lush warm synth ushers in Think Strange. It is a gem. All of Stephen Solo's material is interesting and imaginative, but when it all really comes together it is incredibly special.

For a fleeting second I think of the bands selling their souls without a hope in hell of producing anything as gorgeous at this....and I laugh.... cause this guy is producing something as good as this on his iPhone 6! I've just listened to it 4 times in a row.

It's hard to admit when you're wrong about somebody

A dreamer in love with the dark

Hoping it will never come back

Farrell's love of being able to freely experiment when he has a moment to himself with his phone is joyfully expressed throughout the album. Mini Metal Girl is one of those moments where you think what goes on in this guys head? But in a good way.

I mentioned that Secrets You Keep is a highlight; Stephen singing over an acoustic guitar with just the odd little synth bubbling in the background is just gorgeous. And when he harmonises with himself it is pure Beatles.

I love you more with every secret you keep

I love you more with every cut that goes deep

David Bowie Never Had To is madcap genius. Farrell takes us into his world by comparing it to David Bowie's. I laughed out loud on first listen and then promptly listened a further 6 times to appreciate the humour, imagination, reality, songwriting and melodies.

David Bowie never had to carry a washing machine up 3 flights of stairs

David Bowie never had to downgrade his home entertainment package because he's on a zero hours contract

David Bowie never had to consider using his keys as a weapon at a dodgy bus stop

Don't want my own universe

But I'd be happy in my own little world

The song has a great twist at the end where Bowie joins in the conversation from the other side. Just listen to this - please. It is genius.

Can't Wait is home made psychedelia and then Farrell introduces another one of those magical moments from 2-minutes onwards. Flowing melodies and harmonies - sheer beauty.

I have friends who I always trust when it comes to music. So when my friend Craig asked me if I had heard Stephen's song No Pill For What I've Got then I knew it was going to be special. And it is. Recorded from the bath (which you can hear at the start). It has a sleep, dreamy, melancholy vibe with a beautiful melody and soulful reflective lyrics.

The album closes with Solo playing ukulele and singing to his eldest son about the colours of the planets of the solar system. It is a captivating insight into how music plays such a part of his life and evidence of how he can just come up with ideas and melodies with ease.

Order the incredibly cool cassette USB album from the online store (click just the album) or head to iTunes to download or Spotify to stream. Enjoy.

War Is Never Over (Even If You Want It)

Happy Xmas (War Is Over), a protest song against the Vietnam war, was released by John Lennon and Yoko Ono back in 1971. Ever the optimist,  Lennon was capable of getting the world to sing along to his songs of peace and love - All You Need Is Love was broadcast live to the world, Give Peace A Chance was recorded in a hotel bedroom in Amsterdam on his honeymoon with Yoko.

Happy Xmas (War Is Over) got the world singing. Backed by a fantastic advertising campaign with Lennon and Ono taking billboards out in major cities and adverts in major newspapers, the message was still one of flower power talk - believe, we can make a change, lets be positive.

Fast forward to early December 2015 and the House of Commons votes to go to war; the government somehow find billions to invest in bombing Syria when food banks are on the rise and the NHS is on its knees. Despite an increase in public opinion leaning strongly towards no war, no bombs, the government seem hellbent on it and there is outrage as Labour MP's side with the Tories.

The decision to launch a bombing campaign left millions of people across the country feeling dejected. Waking up the morning after the vote, Stephen Farrell recorded his anger and frustration by writing a song - playing on Lennon's from all those years ago and adding a modern twist; War Is Never Over (Even If You Want It).

Released under the guise of Stephen Solo, the song begins a #notinmyname refrain that was used across Social Media in the days leading up to the vote and also in the aftermath. The references are clever, heartfelt and always with anger even through the gorgeous harmonies.

We can't find money to feed our hungry babies

Yet magical trillions appear to bomb more babies

Let the Big Ben bells ring out for bombs this Christmas

The only peace we'll get this year 

Is pieces of skulls and baby bones

War is never over if you want it

Stephen has recorded an album on his iPhone that will be released in 2016, this song was written and recorded on his iPhone and the video was also shot on his iPhone. Just goes to show how technology can allow artists to capture and release something as soon as they feel it, within minutes of writing it - to the world.

War Is Never Over has Lennon-esque echoes in the melody, vocals, (self) harmonies and the warm acoustic guitar sound.

All the people say, not in my name, not in my name

The psychos ain't listening

War Is Never Over (Even If You Want It) is out now on iTunes. You can watch the video below.