10 years ago Philip Watts d'Alton's band 'John, Shelly and the Creatures' were the folk pantheon of the NI Music scene. Their debut record 'Dinosaur' was a Neil Young shaped, epic road trip. Starry eyed and smelling of campfire smoke, it's magnificent lead single 'Long May You Reign' will forever be synonymous with Irish beauty spots, soundtracking a 'Discover Ireland' TV campaign. If there was a subconscious passing of the baton from Dublin beach boys The Thrills, d'Alton's band showed no signs of nerves, taking the early attention in their strides.
In the intervening years, Watts d'Alton has been far from idle. His band grew up, changing their name to Master & Dog and releasing their brooding, self-reflective debut to sweeping critical acclaim in 2012. With their alt-folk legacy all but assured, d'Alton moved into the producers chair, working on releases from Rory Nellis, Tour Alaska, Sam Wickens and more, racking up serious radio airmiles in the process. As his profile off stage continues to grow, new solo EP 'Reflections' is a timely reminder of the songwriter's ability in front of the microphone. Four tracks of wistful elegance, 'Reflections' plays along the faded lines of past glories, romances and the heartache of Summer, viewed through maturer, but ultimately happier eyes.
The deeper you dive into d'Alton's world, the clearer the water. 'Reflections' may be musically distant from 'Master and Dog', but they share a common ideology; to take you on a journey, even if they're heading in different directions.
There are moments of absolute beauty across 'Reflections', like when the title track ascends to an Elliot Smith inspired shimmering jam. Or 'Just Called's rhetorical cry's in the dark, to someone he'd do anything to reach. Indeed, Smith's influence looms large across 'Reflection', the sweetness of the music often belying the true sentiments underneath.
Take 'Trees', a trapeze dangling waltz through d'Alton's deepest autumnal thoughts. He doesn't come to any grand conclusions, as there's none to be had. Instead, he comes to accept that he's both 'made it and faded', but it's ultimately 'gone in a second'. Beatles-esque strings cut through just as your hoping for them, richly textured, deeply moving.
This is self-indulgent work of the best kind. d'Alton has made no compromises on a record made entirely for himself, on difficult days and triumphant nights; and it's this that makes it such an intoxicating listen. His penchant for soundtracking the natural (and personal) world has clearly never left him.
Taylor Johnson
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